The Price
by Fenikkusuken
Summary: COMPLETE. Twisted Canon AU. If Inuyasha's sealing spell simply wore off after a couple of centuries, what could possibly draw him back to the Sunset Shrine in modern Tokyo? Rated M for violence, language & citrus
1. The Visitor

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **It's an AU set in modern Tokyo, and it's all Ranuel's fault. Due to a chance comment about the physiology of calico cats she made a while ago, I've had to pry a rather fanged little cream-and-tortoiseshell bunny off my ankle.

In this version, Inuyasha _was_ pinned to the Goshinboku by Kikyo's arrow, courtesy of Naraku's machinations, but Kagome didn't fall through the well to free him; instead, the sealing wore off after a couple of centuries. He's spent his free time since trying to reclaim the Tetsusaiga from the hereditary keepers of the Sunset Shrine while reaching an accommodation with Sesshomaru; they both use concealment spells to blend in with the modern human population.

Oh, and no subduing rosary; if watching the hanyou eat dirt is a particular fetish of yours, better find another fic.

**Bouquets:** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Violence, coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter One: The Visitor**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"He's here _again_."

"Really? That's the second time this week."

"Third."

"Not that you're counting or anything…"

"Mo-_ther_. Don't you think that it's kinda creepy?"

"He might be new in Tokyo and he finds the city overwhelming… our shrine is famous for its forest, don't forget."

"I dunno… he dresses like an American… and his _hair_!"

"_I_ think his hair is rather attractive." When her daughter rolled her eyes, Mrs. Higurashi added, "You have to admit that he is quite handsome, Kagome."

"If you say so," the young woman muttered, peering out the kitchen window at the bustling throng cheerfully celebrating Setsubun on the grounds of the Sunset Shrine. The tall young man under discussion stood out by virtue of his height and his extravagant hip-length black hair flowing loose over his shoulders and down his back. Dressed in jeans and a leather jacket with a motorcycle helmet under his arm, he stood on the edge of the crowd in full view of the two women assessing him through the kitchen window.

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head as she moved to secure a budding twig from the Goshinboku into the knotted paper ribbon holding back Kagome's glossy hair. Turning the young woman away from the window, she gave the eye-catching white and red traditional shrine maiden's outfit a final brushing down before saying, "Perhaps he'd appreciate a friendly welcome, if he's indeed a newcomer. It wouldn't hurt for you to say hello, would it?"

"So long as Gramps doesn't take that as permission to start interrogating him about his family background and financial situation," Kagome replied with some asperity.

"He's just trying to look out for you," her mother protested.

"I'll admit he was right that I was too young to marry Hojo right after high school, but he's worked really hard at scaring off anyone else who's taken an interest in me."

"He's very proud of your medical studies, Kagome, and he doesn't want you to be distracted from them."

"I know… but it'd be nice to go out with someone of the opposite sex for a cup of coffee without them being subjected to the third degree." Smiling in an attempt to take the sting out of her words, she escaped into the foyer. _I shouldn't have snapped at Mom like that, but it's hard not to feel a tiny bit of resentment. If Gramps only knew about all the dates that I've turned down because of his attitude… I know that he's being protective because Dad is gone, but it's annoying to have to have a social life limited to lunchtime._ Donning a pair of straw sandals while shouldering her quiver and bow, she took a deep breath to compose herself before sliding open the door and stepping outside. The first person she came face to face with was the handsome, dark-haired stranger… and his reaction was certainly memorable.

"_Holy fucking gods!_" He stared at her, his mouth hanging open, his face gone ashen and his violet eyes wide with shock.

Kagome blinked. "And good fortune to you, too, sir," she replied with as much dignity as she could muster before bobbing a crisp bow and heading into the crowd. Her teenage brother, dressed as an acolyte, winked cheekily as he sold 'sacred arrows' from his table at the side of the stage. While their elaborately-robed grandfather addressed the crowd in his reedy voice, she posed for pictures with giggling teenagers and shy children until her part in the Sunset Shrine's unique twist on the traditional celebrations marking the beginning of Spring was required.

Sota handed her up onto the stage, where she bowed to her grandfather before taking her place facing the Goshinboku. Readying her weapon, she listened with half an ear as his age-thinned voice rose and fell in the cadences of the centuries-old story of the courageous priestess who slew a rampaging youkai at the cost of her own life. Notching an arrow, she drew the bowstring taut to her cheek and sighted down the shaft at her usual target, a small knothole in the centre of a large bark-free patch marring the ancient tree's trunk while she waited for Sota's cue.

The crowd tensed, like it did every year and held its collective breath, like it did every year, as the climax of the story was reached. Sota's hand cut the air and Kagome let fly. Polite applause greeted her feat, as the arrow quivered just slightly to the left of her target. _Didn't correct enough for the wind, just like last year_ she sighed, inspecting her aim with a critical eye as the ceremony concluded with tossed packets of toasted soybeans. _Coach Sagara wouldn't be impressed._

She didn't notice the _other _person not impressed with her marksmanship. The dark-haired young man had stayed only long enough to witness the arrow thudding into the tree before bolting for the red-painted _torii_ gate. He was currently storming down the shrine's stone staircase two risers at a time, rubbing the left-hand side of his chest with one hand as he fumbled in his pocket with the other. Clearing the last few steps in a single jump, he stalked towards a sleek motorcycle as he successfully retrieved his cell phone.

Punching a number, he barely waited until his brother answered before snarling, "You _fucking_ asshole! Did you think that was fucking _funny_?"

"Explain."

"Dammit, Sess… do you mean you knew _nothing _about the girl?"

"I assume that you refer to the granddaughter of the current priest, one Kagome Higurashi?"

"_Yes._"

"What is the problem?"

"Only that she has an archery habit _and_ could pass for Kikyo's twin sister!"

"The Sunset Shrine, as you well know, has a long history of its priests and priestesses utilizing so-called 'sacred arrows' in ceremonial purifications. As to the woman's resemblance to her revered forbear, I had no idea since I never encountered the Lady Kikyo."

"_Fuck_."

"Did you retrieve your weapon?"

"Fuck _you_."

"Unlikely, Brother."

Snapping off any other smart comments by closing his phone, the young man cursed luridly as he straddled the motorcycle and yanked on his helmet. Punching the throttle, he jumped the machine off the curb and roared away, all too conscious of the phantom pain in his chest.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Well-shot today, granddaughter," the old man wheezed as he carefully set the box containing his tall black ceremonial headdress on its shelf.

"Thank you, Grandfather," Kagome replied as she pulled her hair free of the paper ribbon. The twig slipped to the floor; when she picked it up she noted that the leaf buds had slightly opened, revealing a tiny sliver of vivid green hidden inside the burnished brown husk. As she left the foyer ahead of her grandfather, a fat calico cat thumped down the stairs leading from the second story and stretched elaborately before winding around her legs. "Darn it, Buyo… will you stop shedding already?" she grumbled good-naturedly at the furry deposit left behind on her scarlet hakama as she swept the cat into her arms.

"Hurry and get changed… the soba noodles are nearly ready!" Mrs. Higurashi sang out from the kitchen.

"I'd kill for a cheeseburger," Sota muttered on his way past, his layered kimono hanging around his waist and revealing the ratty t-shirt he'd worn underneath the silk.

"You and me both," Kagome chuckled as she slung the cat over her shoulder and tucked the twig behind her ear.

"Have a soybean instead," he offered, tossing her a couple from a clearly purloined handful.

Grinning, she flicked back one of the toasted nuts. "Demon begone!" she cheerfully taunted before spluttering, "_OW!_ Buyo… watch those claws!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Two days later…**_

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the archery butt set up behind the house, gauging the distance with a practiced eye before notching her arrow and slowly drawing back the bowstring. Controlling her breathing, she zeroed in on the bull's-eye and released between one heartbeat and the next. _Yes!_ The arrow joined three more clustered tightly around the centre of the target.

"You have a good eye."

"_Eep!_" She spun around to confront the speaker. The violet-eyed, dark-haired young man stood about ten feet away with his hands in his pockets, looking remarkably unthreatening. _He's so __quiet__ on his feet… I didn't hear a thing!_ _Ugh… how creepy is that?_ Kagome lifted her chin as she collected herself. "Can I help you? If you want a blessing or a sutra… or a Shikon-no-Tama keychain… my grandfather can open the shop for you."

He arched a dark eyebrow. "Shikon-no-Tama keychains? Seriously?"

"Specialty of the Sunset Shrine," she said with forced cheer as she assessed the unexpected visitor, retreating a step when the stranger squared his shoulders and bowed formally.

"Please accept my apologies for my rudeness at our first meeting," he offered as he straightened.

"Oh! Um… er, thank you. Apology accepted, Mr.…"

"Sha Nishiki," he supplied, smiling a little at her fluster as he proffered his card.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Nishiki. Kagome Higurashi," she quickly replied, accepting the card with a polite bow before stepping backwards out of range. "My mother noticed your earlier visits to the shrine… 'Adamant Antiquities'? You're an art collector?" she asked. _He sure as heck doesn't dress like any of the antiquarians or historians that I've seen!_

"Something like that," he agreed equitably, but didn't elaborate.

Kagome frowned at his evasiveness, which only increased her sense of unease. "Is there something in which you're particularly interested?"

She didn't understand his crooked smile as he shrugged. "I haven't visited the shrine in years; thought I'd drop by and see if anything has changed."

The young woman couldn't help chortling, but she hastily hid her laughter behind her hand. "It's a traditional shrine; you weren't _seriously_ expecting change, were you?"

Sha chuckled as he waved at the trees. "I like that you can't hear the street noise up here; it's very peaceful."

"Yes, it is," she agreed, retrieving an arrow from her quiver and twirling it between her fingertips as a politely subtle hint that she'd like to return to her archery practice.

He didn't take the bait, instead indicating the bristling archery butt. "Do you compete?"

"Yes," she replied shortly, but he wasn't dissuaded.

"Do you have a ranking?"

"You… follow archery?" she asked incredulously. _Definitely an oddball!_

"You might say that I retain a keen interest in the sport," he allowed with another of those crooked smiles.

"I made it as far as the national trials last year," she admitted shyly, but with a touch of pride.

"Impressive. May I ask why you were using the sacred tree as a target during the Setsubun festival?"

Kagome tapped her foot. "Weren't you listening to my grandfather's story?"

He had the grace to look sheepish. "My attention was elsewhere, so maybe you could give me a summary?"

She sighed lightly, reluctantly conceding that her practice was likely over for the day. _Coach Sagara will be __extremely__ unhappy if I don't make the top five at regionals next weekend._ Stepping smoothly into tour guide mode, she led the way towards the stately tree. "The origins of the tradition go back about five hundred years, to the very founding of the Sunset Shrine. A powerful priestess guarded a mystic jewel called the Shikon-no-Tama from all those that sought to acquire its power for personal gain, regardless of whether they were human or youkai."

"What made the Jewel so special?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"It apparently had the power to grant wishes, so was sought by the ambitious."

"Sounds like a load of crap," Sha scoffed, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"Wouldn't you like to have your dearest wish granted?" Kagome retorted, then wondered why his mouth twisted as he looked away.

"Wishing for something that you weren't meant to have leads to nothing but trouble," he finally growled.

Clearing her throat in the awkward pause, Kagome continued, "One day, a powerful youkai came seeking the Jewel. The priestess defeated him time and again, but he persisted… until one day he succeeded in mortally wounding the priestess, stormed the village and seized the Jewel. With her life fast ebbing, the priestess managed to put a sacred arrow through his heart. Before succumbing to her injuries, she ordered that the Jewel be burned along with her body. The scar on the Goshinboku's trunk marks the spot where the youkai's body remained visible for over two hundred years… that's the official story, anyways."

"_Official_ story? There's another version?"

She looked up at the scar, her hair twining softly around her face. "The priestess and the youkai loved each other, but were torn apart by the jealousy of a third, who tricked them into believing that the one had turned on the other."

Sha moved closer, watching her intently. "Do _you_ believe that?"

"Yes," Kagome whispered, turning to meet his gaze. "Because the priestess _sealed_ the youkai instead of killing him."

"Huh? What the hell do you mean?" he demanded.

Kagome again looked up at the scar. "If she had purified him, the youkai would have vanished on the spot, leaving only the arrow behind. However, his body's existence for over two hundred years is well-documented in the shrine records; people came from all over to see him as well as offer prayers for the priestess. She could have sent him straight to hell, but she didn't; she gave him the benefit of the doubt."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he snapped.

"That's _love_," she calmly retorted. "She believed in him until the end."

"More like she didn't want to see him again, so sentenced him to centuries alone in limbo," Sha muttered, and then his gaze sharpened. "Until she could be reincarnated…"

"I beg your pardon?" The young woman warily edged away from his sudden intensity. _Did his eyes change colour just now? That's not possible, but I could swear_…

Sha shook himself. _That's Kagome, not Kikyo, idiot, even if her scent is the same… but I can't help thinking that if this isn't some kind of cosmic joke, then maybe_… Looking away to collect his thoughts for a moment, he finally asked, "So, if the youkai was sealed, why isn't he still hanging up there?"

"My grandfather believes that the seal lost its strength over time and eventually released the youkai, but not before the Goshinboku was permanently scarred." Kagome was quiet for a moment, then added, "It must have been terrible for him when he woke up… the changes to his surroundings, the lack of anyone he recognized… a nightmare come to life. I imagine he must have been terribly lonely… I wonder if he ever learned the truth?"

"You mean your 'unofficial version', right?" The young man's gaze was again uncomfortably sharp. "Assuming that it _might _be true, do your traditions happen to identify the bastard who played games with their hearts?"

She bit her lip, thinking carefully. "There are two names associated with this third person; one is 'Onigumo' and the other is 'Naraku'. It's impossible to tell if they are two separate people or one in the same." Watching Sha's brow furrow in thought, she decided that her mother was right. _He __is__ quite handsome, if a little strange. How many guys with his looks choose to spend a Saturday afternoon hanging around an old shrine talking about legends?_

After a long pause, he casually asked, "So, does your shrine have anything else of historical interest?"

"Storehouses stuffed with 'valuable national treasures', to listen to my grandfather talk," she chuckled. "How about a 'sacred sword' that supposedly belonged to the sealed youkai?"

"_Now_ you're talking; antique swords are a particular interest of mine… but wouldn't the youkai have taken off with it as soon as he woke up?" Sha's tone was just the slightest bit _too_ keen even though his manner remained casual.

"I have my doubts that this is a youkai weapon… this might be a very traditional shrine and all that, but _still_…"

"You believe in the fairy story of the sleeping youkai pinned to the tree," he pointed out.

"Touché," she agreed equitably. "Most sacred swords are examples of perfection, but this one… well, it doesn't look like any other I've ever seen. It was definitely used prior to being dedicated, which is very unusual, because it's all beat-up and scruffy-looking as if it came straight off the battlefield."

"More beat-up than the Kusunagi-no-Tsurugi?"

Kagome laughed, and he allowed himself to admire the bright sound. "Ours makes the Imperial Sword look like it just left the forge."

"Really? I don't remember seeing something like that the last time I was here."

"It's kept in storage because my grandfather says that it's too fragile to display."

"Any chance that I might be able to… _dammit! _What the _hell_…?" Sha yelped as he hastily retreated from a hissing, spitting, snarling, yowling furball that moved with surprising agility for its chubby bulk as it squarely planted itself in front of Kagome. The calico cat's pale celadon-green eyes blazed with fury as it emitted a long, loud and threatening hiss before darting forward and dealing his leg a vicious swat.

"_Buyo!_ What's gotten into you?" The young woman paused in mid-admonition to stare at the impressive slashes torn right through his jeans while Sha growled ferociously under his breath. The cat growled right back, its back tightly arched and its tail bushed out, not backing down an inch. "Are you all right, Mr. Nishiki?" Kagome asked, then let out a dismayed cry when she saw the blood staining the tough denim. "Oh, gosh! Let me get a bandage! _Bad cat!_"

As she ran towards the house, Sha fixed the defiant feline with a steely and suddenly-golden glare. "Fuck off, kitty. No tree's high enough to keep me from gutting your fat ass if you _ever_ do that again." Buyo curled her lips back over her fangs and hissed again. Sha smirked. "Ya got nerve, rat-breath," he conceded. "I promise that I'm not gonna hurt your human. I just need to retrieve something that belongs to me and I'll be on my way." The cat narrowed her pale eyes, but the arch in her back _may_ have relaxed the tiniest fraction. Stooping and pulling up the shredded leg of his jeans, he dabbed at the blood trickling from the three deep claw marks in his shin. Glancing up at the house, he muttered, "She'd better hurry up, or there won't _be_ anything left to bandage, and how the hell will I explain _that_?" Frowning at his reddened fingertips, he wiped them on the paving stones before straightening. "Ya got one helluva right hook, kitty. I'll have to remember that." Both man and cat looked over as Kagome burst from the house and ran towards them, a medical case in her hands.

She'd barely taken half a dozen steps when the fabric of reality shifted and tore. Sha leapt backwards as several paving stones appeared to heave upward, releasing a geyser of rock and earth. _Shit! How'd __that__ get through the dimensional boundaries?_ Kagome skidded to a halt; the cat yowled sharply and bolted around the edge of the rift to press up against the young woman's legs as if forcing her back.

The ground trembled and shook as a column of damp earth shot skyward, raining clods and stones all over the courtyard… until a nightmarish creature erupted into the light. _'Blood… sweet blood… the gift of life!'_ The vaguely humanoid, definitely centipede-like creature fastened its attention on Sha. _'Did you summon me, boy?'_

"Not intentionally, ya hag. A face as ugly as yours ought to stay hidden!" he sneered… and then noticed Kagome. The young woman was staring wide-eyed upwards at a spot roughly corresponding with the back of the centipede's head. _She can see it? Shit!_

Kagome could most definitely see his opponent as the medical case slipped from her nerveless fingers. _What __is__ that? Wait… something's odd… odder than a giant, talking caterpillar in the middle of my yard… it's like I can see __through__ it…sort of._ Blinking hard, she stared intently at the damaged paving stones and scattered earth, then up at the bobbing, weaving entity. _I can hear it, feel the ground shake when it moves… even smell it… whew! Something's rotten in Tokyo… but it's blurred around the edges and I can faintly see the outline of the well house through its body. Is this real or an illusion of some sort? _ Her arm moved almost before her brain, and she brought her bow and an arrow into firing position. _One way to find out!_

'_I hunger, boy… I require more blood,'_ the creature hissed, its pincher-like jaws clacking as its multiple legs fidgeted. _'Yours is particularly tasty… __Urk!'_ It swung around and Sha gaped at the arrow bristling from its back. _'You impudent child… you __dare__ attack Mistress Centipede?'_

Kagome's entire body was screaming to _run_, but she fought down the impulse as she notched another arrow and sent it into the youkai's chest; Sha was mildly impressed by her lack of fainting or fleeing. As the youkai screamed furiously and dove at her, he rapidly intervened despite the risk of exposure. "Leave the human alone, hag! _Sankon Tessou!_" His attack tore a sizeable chunk out of the creature's armoured side, but a last-second twist saved it from being completely sliced in half. He was still airborne when a coiling loop of its body slammed him into the Goshinboku's trunk. Sha felt something 'crack' in his side and figured he'd blown at least one rib as another coil wrapped itself around both him and the tree; a second and third coil immobilized him.

The centipede's head and upper body snaked towards him, its fangs opened wide. _'Die, impertinent dog!'_ He somehow managed to jerk sideways despite his hard-edged bonds and the pain in his ribs, so that only one of the creature's fangs pierced his shoulder instead of both going into his throat. The coils tightened to the point of bone-cracking pain as his attacker pulled back in another bid for his life.

"Get away from him!"

The centipede hesitated, then sinuously curled towards Kagome.

"Stupid girl… _run_!" Sha shouted just as the young woman was abruptly and shockingly wreathed in a terrifyingly familiar violet-pink glow that originated in her chest as she aimed another fletched projectile.

'_The Shikon-no-Tama!' _Mistress Centipede joyfully shrieked. _'I will devour you and gain its power for myself!'_ As the youkai flew at her, Kagome bravely held her ground and released her arrow right into its maw. However, the centipede flinched out of the way at the last possible moment, allowing the energy-charged missile to speed straight for the pinioned Sha.

_Oh fuck… __not again__!_ He ducked as best he could as the arrow buried itself in the Goshinboku not an inch away from his cheek, crackling and sizzling as its spiritual power burnt out… but not before he felt his ears begin to slide down the sides of his head and his fangs to recede, not to mention experience the full brunt of the pain from his cracked rib. _Dammit… what a time to lose half of my __youki__ power!_

His attention snapped back to the matter at hand when Kagome's terrified scream split the air. Horror snaked through Sha's guts as the centipede bore down on the young woman, sending a rushing coil ahead of its main body that knocked her off her feet. As her bow went flying and another arrow fizzled out, it sank its fangs into her belly and yanked her into the air. Shaking her like a terrier does a rat, the youkai attempted to tear Kagome apart right before Sha's eyes. _No-one deserves to be eaten alive!_ He desperately tried to sort through his available options, but stopped dead when Kagome's screams abruptly ceased, as if her neck had been snapped. A moment after that, he was blinded… and completely purified… by an explosion of brilliant pink light. The coils trapping him fell away and he slid down the trunk to land in an awkward heap among the gnarled roots and spasming flesh.

Kagome's body hit the ground with a sickening 'thump' on the other side of the destroyed picket fence. Sha painfully heaved himself over the splintered wood and twitching body parts; as he staggered towards the fallen girl he distantly noted that the head and upper body of the centipede had vanished. A chill breeze swirled and the rest of the creature's body crumbled to dust. The dimensional rift began closing, restoring the courtyard to its normal appearance as the energy ebbed away, leaving the heavily bleeding young woman sprawled across the paving stones.

Crouching beside her, wincing as his injured body complained bitterly, Sha considered how to best deal with the situation. _Her gramps must be completely deaf __and__ lacking spiritual powers to have missed the commotion. How'm I going to explain her injuries?_ "Another Shikon miko, huh?" he murmured, flipping open his phone with the intention of tapping into his brother's youkai network of specialists to bring help for the girl, but he was blindsided. Swearing luridly as he rolled clumsily across the ground, he couldn't help the yelp of pain when a heavy weight landed on his bruised chest. Razor-sharp claws dug into his throat and he froze, looking up into a pair of furious pale-green eyes.

"You deserve to _die_ for your carelessness, dog!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: **_Sankon Tessou_ = Iron Reaver Soul Stealer; Inuyasha's basic claw-strike attack. I usually use the English anime term, but decided on the Japanese just for the heck of it in this fic.

Kusunagi-no-Tsurugi – One of the three treasures of the Japanese Imperial Regalia. It is a bronze sword of archaic design, thought to date back to the Bronze Age peoples of the Korean peninsula. Along with a bronze mirror and a jade _magatama_ jewel, tradition states that it was given to the first Emperor by the sun goddess Amaterasu. References to the three items often appear in Japanese manga, anime and video games.


	2. For the Record

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **Thanks very much for all the terrific reviews!

Regarding the floor plan of the Higurashi's house in this fic, the bathroom is on the ground floor and is entered via the laundry room, which is itself accessed through the kitchen. The toilet is also located on the main floor, but in a room by itself close to the foyer. Sota and Grandpa's bedrooms are on the main floor as well, while Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi's rooms are upstairs.

**Bouquets:** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Violence, coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter Two: For the Record**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha quickly matched the youkai pinning him down glare for glare. "How the fuck was _I_ supposed to know that the ugly hag was sealed beneath the courtyard?"

The claws retracted from his throat and the anger in the creature's remarkable eyes dimmed. "Mistress Centipede was from before your time, when Lady Kikyo still walked this earth. My apologies." With that, the weight on his body lifted and the youkai rushed to Kagome's side.

Sha blinked several times up at the sky. _How in the hell does this thing know about Kikyo?_ Cautiously raising his head, he watched a slender youkai with daintily pointed ears and delicate facial striping gathering Kagome into its arms. "Don't touch her, you bastard!" he shouted, struggling upright.

The youkai bared some very impressive fangs over its shoulder. "I have every right to touch what is mine."

He nursed his cracked ribs and wondered how long it would take his powers to return. _I don't fancy tangling with a full-blooded youkai while I'm at a disadvantage… this might not be Sess, but it can still kick my human ass without breaking a sweat!_ Noticing the extreme care and solicitousness that the creature was displaying towards the injured girl, he inspected it more closely. _Ivory skin, long chestnut hair tipped with black… pale green eyes… waitaminute… _"Buyo?"

"Give the dog a cookie," the cat-youkai hissed as she rose to her feet with Kagome cradled in her arms. Raking Sha with a caustic look, Buyo added, "Come along and I'll patch you up, too. Being purified makes healing somewhat difficult, I'd imagine."

"How'd _you_ manage to avoid that blast?"

"Not being restrained by my opponent made it easier. Use that bucket to wash the blood off the paving stones." She indicated the container with a toss of her head. "There is a faucet on the other side of the well house. Her family must _not_ find out if at all possible."

"Gonna be kinda tough hiding her injuries, doncha think?" he pointed out as he hefted the bucket, then let out a pained whimper that he wasn't quite able to stifle.

Buyo rolled her pale eyes as she headed towards the house. "Never mind, puppy; I'll do it later. Bring the medical case and her weaponry, please." He retrieved the items and painfully hop-skipped to catch up as she expertly opened the foyer door with her foot. "Watch the step, Lord Inuyasha."

"Now _that's_ a name I haven't heard in a really long time," Sha commented as he closed the door behind them, kicked off his boots and followed the cat-youkai into the house. Striding through the kitchen, Buyo elbowed open the sliding door to the laundry room and then bore the unconscious young woman through yet another door into the bathroom. "What about her grandfather? She said something about him opening the shrine shop.…"

"She is alone here today; her family left her in peace so that she could practice for an upcoming archery meet."

"Guess she didn't trust me."

"Can't imagine why," Buyo said dryly as she carefully laid Kagome on the tile floor and tucked a folded towel under her head. As she began slicing away the young woman's torn, blood-soaked clothing with lethal-looking claws that were suddenly at least a foot long, she said, "For the record, the unofficial version is correct; a third party was behind Lady Kikyo's death. He apparently hoped that she would kill you and then wish on the Jewel to survive; she managed to unknowingly out-manoeuvre him because she only sealed you before going peacefully to her grave."

"Keh. How do you know all of this?" he asked uneasily. _Can't tell how old she is; could be two hundred or two thousand._

"I'm beginning to wonder if you're hard of hearing," Buyo answered coolly. "I already told you that I was… oh, good… not as bad as I feared, thanks to the Jewel." Sha flinched away from the bloody mess revealed as the cat-youkai stripped the ruined jacket, t-shirt and bra from Kagome's body. "Try not to ogle, if you don't mind. Make yourself useful and clean up her bow and quiver… hand me the medical case, please."

"I'm _not _ogling, dammit; only ghouls are turned on by blood." He handed over the case, and did his best to be clinical as he looked over Kagome's naked torso, quickly realizing that under the coating of gore, the young woman appeared to be somehow intact except for some deep… and rapidly-closing… gouges. _Crap! That's some impressive youkai-level speed healing! _"Amazing," he murmured as he snagged a towel and set to wiping down her weapons. "I could use some of that ability right now."

"The Jewel has a vested interest in keeping its host alive," Buyo said as she wrung out a facecloth in warm water and began cleaning the blood from Kagome's skin.

Sha noticed that the youkai's claws had retracted and realized how she had been able to shred his jeans earlier with one blow… and also realized that she could have removed his entire leg if she had so desired. _Not someone to mess with, that's for damn sure! Claw to claw, she has the advantage!_ "Is she a reincarnation?"

"Yes," Buyo confirmed. "Surely you have noticed the similarity in their scents?" Flashing Sha a thoughtful glance, she added, "If you choose to improve your acquaintance with Lady Kagome, the differences between them will become obvious. Are you done cleaning those? Wash your hands; I need your help with Lady Kagome's injuries, and then I'll have a look at yours." Sha complied, gamely ignoring his complaining ribs to prop Kagome upright enough so that Buyo could wind a roll of bandaging around the young woman's body after taping a gauze pad in place. Once the cat had pronounced herself satisfied, she created a makeshift mattress out of towels on the other side of the room and moved her patient onto them, with another clean towel for a coverlet. "All right… let's see what can be done for you."

She helped Sha out of his jacket and took a moment to poke her long finger through the hole driven clean through the tough leather from front to back by the centipede's fang while he struggled with his t-shirt. "Dragon hide lined with fire-rat; at least we won't have to worry about repairing the damage." Noticing his difficulties, she brandished her claws; he held very, very still as the sharp weapons made short work of his clothing. Buyo clucked her tongue at the lurid bruise already forming over his ribs and the wound in his shoulder. "Let me put a couple of stitches in that; you won't be fully hanyou for a little while yet." She tapped the white, fang-shaped jewel bracketed by a pair of black stone beads hanging from a heavy leather cord around his neck. "Is this the anchor for your concealment spell?"

"Yeah… not that I need it right _now_. Where's yours?"

Buyo wrinkled her nose. "I don't have one."

"You mean you're holding that transformation out of sheer will?" he asked, highly impressed with her level of control. "Even my brother uses an external anchor to control the size of his true form…"

"It's become second nature," she offered distractedly as she rummaged in the medical case.

"Oi, what's the big deal with you blowing a fit over _my_ 'carelessness' outside?" he suddenly demanded. "If youkai blood was the catalyst for the insect-hag's release, then _you_ could've done it when you slashed my leg!"

The cat-youkai's pale cheeks tinted pink. "Quite true, Lord Inuyasha. I was thinking only of protecting Lady Kagome… and to be honest, I forgot exactly where Mistress Centipede was sealed."

He muttered a few choice epithets, but allowed her to work on him without complaint as she expertly sutured the injury. They were silent until Buyo abruptly answered his earlier question. "I doubt that you noticed a small kitten living in Lady Kikyo's hut; I 'belonged' to her younger sister, Lady Kaede, but I was really there for the Jewel."

"So you wanted to steal it, too?"

"Yes," she bluntly admitted. "When Lady Kikyo died, I decided to remain and watch over the village. I surmised that the Jewel would eventually resurface because that kind of power cannot remain quiescent forever, and I was right." Knotting and cutting the suture, she selected a gauze pad of the right size. "However, when the Jewel reappeared, acquiring it turned out to have a higher price than I was willing to pay."

"Which was?" he prompted, when she was quiet too long.

"The Jewel was reborn inside Lady Kagome," Buyo finally answered. "The legendary priestess Midoriko's crystallized heart now resides inside Lady Kagome's chest."

Sha exhaled sharply, and it had nothing to do with the pressure exerted on his wound while she applied some tape. "So, in order to get the Jewel…"

"… Lady Kagome would have to die," she finished sombrely.

He again found himself the target of an icy green stare and quickly held up his hands. "All I want is my _sword_. Sure, I wanted the Jewel back then, but not now. Seen too many innocent people die, especially in the last century, to know that absolute power doesn't do anyone any good… and it sure as hell doesn't make you a better person. Look at my asshole brother, for example."

"The Western Lord regularly checked on you during your sealing," Buyo commented calmly. "Even if I didn't see him, I still detected his _youki_ in the area."

"No way," he scoffed.

"_Yes_ way," she insisted, nudging his arms upwards so that she could stabilize his ribs with another roll of firmly-wrapped gauze. "Besides, it is well-known that he accepted you as his kinsman both before _and_ after your sealing."

"Only because he said it would be a disgrace for a son of the Inu-no-Taisho to be defeated or killed by a lesser youkai, and as a 'weak hanyou' I needed his protection," Sha grumbled.

"He attained a splendid sword out of his largesse, did he not? The Bakusaiga?"

"Nah. He already had it by the time I woke up. Some idiot went after his wife back in the day and Sess went all super-youkai on his ass; the Bakusaiga appeared in the course of that battle."

"Ah. The rumours said that Lord Sesshomaru now had 'someone to protect'; I assumed it was you because I only heard about it after your awakening."

"Pfft… _please_. He tolerates me."

"I wonder at your attitude towards your brother, Lord Inuyasha, because to all reports you have been a valued member of the Western Pack for several centuries." Sha muttered and looked away; she allowed a significant pause before clearing her throat and continuing, "Lady Kagome's recovery will then be of interest to you, because she is the only one who can release the Tetsusaiga from its seals." When his head snapped around, his expression eager, she added, "Before you get any bright ideas about coercing her into doing so, let me inform you that her actions cannot be tainted by fear or the seals will remain inviolate."

"I would _never_ threaten a woman!" Sha protested angrily, then quieted at Buyo's dry look. "Okay, so I did _once_… then let my guard down with the same woman and got pinned to a fucking tree for 250 fucking years because of some _other_ asshole…"

"253 years and five months," Buyo blandly interjected. "You awakened during a thunderstorm; it was a Tuesday, I think, around two o'clock in the afternoon."

"Did you camp out under the tree or something?" he demanded.

"Or something," she agreed cryptically. "We had best determine how much you will tell Lady Kagome…"

"_Me_? Isn't that _your_ job?"

"I cannot," Buyo replied carelessly, but Sha noted the tension in her slender frame.

"Why?"

"It is my wish to remain a part of her household, as I have been for the last five centuries."

Sha had a flash of insight. "You're afraid that she won't accept you for what you really are," he flatly accused. Buyo turned away, busying herself with the medical case. He watched for a moment before asking hopefully, "Can you speed up my recovery from the purification?"

"In exchange for your silence?"

"No!" he protested. "Ya got your reasons for concealing your true self, just like I do. I'll keep your secret; got enough of my own."

"I can't undo the purification, unfortunately I am nothing more than a simple house-cat."

"Keh. 'Buyo' can't possibly be your real name…?"

"It suits me well enough." She gracefully rose and crossed the room to carefully lift Kagome in her arms. "I will take her upstairs; join us in a few minutes."

"Isn't that improper, considering I'm a stranger?"

"You will have to confirm her experience because I cannot, and impress upon her that she must conceal everything from her family."

"_Crap_. Don't really want to, but don't have much choice, do I?" he grumbled as he stood aside.

"Leave the damaged clothing in here," the cat-youkai said coolly as she swept out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah." Sha turned to regard the mess in the bathroom; pink-and-red stained towels, scattered medical wrappers, soggy scraps of clothing. _Guess I ought to help her out, since she did bandage me up and all… _ Avoiding the heavy wet towels, he quickly put everything else destined for the garbage in one pile. Frowning at the suture packaging, he wondered, _Why would an ordinary family have this kind of stuff in their house? _ Puzzling over this tidbit of information, he used the hand sprayer to sluice the tiled floor until all traces of blood swirled down the floor drain.

Satisfied with his clean-up efforts, he collected his jacket and limped into the kitchen. Dropping the perforated garment over the back of one of the chairs, he noted the homey atmosphere that included a goggle-eyed tanuki tea cup perched on the counter next to the sink. He started down the hall towards the stairs that he assumed led to the young woman's second-floor bedroom, but he first spotted something through a half-opened sliding screen that seized his attention with both hands.

Veering into the traditional _tatami_ room, he detoured around the low table with its collection of floor cushions to reach an old-fashioned chest against the far wall. Coming to a stop before it, Sha stooped to inspect the collection of family photographs arranged on its polished surface.

Three wedding photographs held pride of place. The first was in full colour and about twenty-five years old, showing a winsome bride in a crisp white kimono seated on a lacquered chair. Her face was composed, but her dark eyes held a merry twinkle as she displayed an elaborate fan while the groom sat proudly beside her, trussed up in full traditional rig. _Must be the girl's parents…her mother looks really familiar for some reason. _The second photograph dated roughly twenty years before the first and was in black and white. The bride wore a crane-patterned _uchikake_ over her white kimono and the groom sported a neatly-trimmed dark moustache and goatee. The third, and oldest portrait was even more formal, both participants severely poker-faced and stiff in their robes as they posed like porcelain dolls before a painted screen. Sha tilted his head, frowning a little as he examined the solemn young couple. _I think I remember these two… shit, has it been __that__ long since I've been back here? I guess it was just after the last war; time flies even when you have more of it than you need._

Perusing some casual photographs arranged to the side of the wedding portraits, he grinned at a laughing young boy on a beach, and then the same boy, now a gangling teen, posing in his high school uniform against the Goshinboku's picket fence. _Good-looking kid; hello… who do we have here?_

A pretty young woman, wind-tousled and wearing a bright floral swimsuit, posed on a rocky outcropping surrounded by the sea. Sha scooped the photograph and carried it over to the window. Carefully studying the image, he observed that while the shape of her face and the tilt of her nose were the same as Kikyo's, Kagome's dark grey eyes held the sunny laughter of her bright smile. _She has a softer voice, too… and her scent is sweeter._ Absently rubbing the spot on his chest where the long-dead priestess' arrow had held him in stasis for two and a half centuries, he considered more of the little details that marked Kagome as a unique individual instead of Kikyo's carbon copy. _Her eyes are shaped differently and her lips are fuller… pretty smile. _

Sha carefully replaced the photograph of Kagome and turned to leave, bringing a wall niche next to the open screen into his line of sight. The dull gleam of metal caught his attention, and he quickly crossed the room to stand in front of a shrine. The metallic glint belonged to an antique bronze finial from what he recognized as a Buddhist monk's staff. Next to the finial, a black-and-white portrait of the groom from the most recent wedding photograph stared out above an engraved memorial tablet, and he realized why only the old geezer and the teenager were participants in the Setsubun ceremonies. Sha did some rapid math based on the tablet's dates. _Her father's been dead since she was a kid, just like me. She has no one to protect her, and now that the Jewel's woken up, she'll be in the cross-hairs of every ambitious youkai in Japan._

Slowly ascending the stairs, he mulled over this revelation, then hesitated between two identical doors. Shrugging, he tapped on the nearer and was rewarded with a quiet hail. Entering the room, he nearly tripped over a bag containing Kagome's blood-soaked jeans as he glanced around a room full of the lovingly-arranged clutter that spoke of the young woman's interests. Shelves contained rows of stuffed animals as well as colourful ribbons and trophies that testified to her prowess with the bow, while collections of photographs stuck here and there showed her and the same group of three friends mugging shamelessly for the camera in a variety of settings. Her desk was tidy and organized, with notepads, mechanical pencils and textbooks neatly stacked. Briefly perusing the titles, he noted several standard medical texts, but puzzled over the apparently-random inclusion of a treatise on herbal concoctions.

"Lady Kagome intends to become a practitioner of traditional medicine," Buyo explained, noticing his interest.

"How anachronistic of her."

"Do not scoff, Lord Inuyasha. She has worked very hard towards her qualification; if she received the proper spiritual training to harness the Jewel's power, she could save those on the very threshold of death."

"Her studies explain the professional-level medical supplies in the house." Sha snagged Kagome's desk chair, spun it around and straddled it, resting his forearms on the seat back. Giving the cat-youkai what he hoped was an intimidating stare, he demanded evenly, "Tell me everything you know about Kikyo's death."

Buyo smoothed the blanket covering Kagome; Sha noticed that the young woman had been dressed in a pale pink pyjama top, decorated with beribboned white kittens. "I will start at the beginning. Lady Kikyo had been tending a wounded bandit who called himself Onigumo. She and Lady Kaede stumbled across him one afternoon; he was grievously burned and his bones crushed from a fall. Lady Kikyo made him comfortable and showed him compassion."

"I couldn't stand the smell on her robes," Sha said faintly as he relived the stench of decay that had surrounded the priestess like an ominous cloud for several days.

"He reeked of old evil and base desires of all sorts, and I began accompanying my humans as soon as I had the first whiff of his scent. Once, when Lady Kaede tended him alone, he asked her the vilest questions about her lady sister. I wished to claw out his eyes, but I decided to wait and strike when I could destroy him without revealing myself." Buyo bowed her chestnut-and-black head as she closed her pale green eyes. "It has been my biggest regret," she replied hoarsely. "In the depths of the night, I returned to the place where he lay, determined to act on my earlier impulse, but I was too late… he was gone."

She fell silent when Sha leaned forward, his entire posture radiating fury. "Do you mean that you could've saved Kikyo's life?" he snarled. Buyo nodded once. Sha controlled himself with an effort and asked in a slightly more reasonable tone, "How can someone as badly injured as this Onigumo simply get up and leave?"

"From the clues left behind, I assumed that he had been devoured by a youkai, because not a scrap remained… either flesh or bone. Only the bandages were left behind, as if his body had been simply sucked out of them whole, and a new scent wiped away the old. Two days later, you were sealed and Lady Kikyo dead, and the altered scent was inside the village, in the meadow… _everywhere…_ and I knew that Onigumo had played a role in the tragedy."

Sha frowned. "When Kikyo shot at me the first time that day," he began, his voice and thoughts very far away, "It happened so fast… I think… no, I'm _sure_ that she was standing downwind." His eyes cleared and sharpened. "He could have taken on her form to betray me… and mine to attack her… if he was a shape-shifter." When Buyo nodded, he sat up straight. "How do you know?"

"Not long after your unfortunate encounter, I began to hear of other devilries, always associated with the name 'Naraku'. The creature was astonishingly dangerous and sowed death among humans and youkai alike. It is my belief that Onigumo took a new name to reflect his new powers because Naraku's abrupt appearance cannot be a mere coincidence. Someone I met fifty years after your sealing had a grandfather who survived several consecutive encounters with Naraku; his opponent had a different form each time."

"If he can change his appearance, he'd be damned difficult to track. _Fuck_." They sat in silence for a while, the only sounds Kagome's even breathing and Sha's madly churning thoughts until a whisper of memory tugged at his consciousness and he decided to test it. "Just before my seal completely broke, I began to sense things… mice nibbling on my robes, the rustle of foliage, bird song, light and shadow." Watching Buyo carefully, he added, "I could swear that someone would wipe my face and comb my hair once in a while… even pet my ears…"

The cat-youkai unflinchingly met his gaze. "It was I," she admitted. "I prevented indignities to your person, such as when the village children dared each other to enter the forest and cut locks of your hair."

"Please tell me you used a cloth and not your tongue!" Sha protested, then shuddered dramatically when she flashed a mischievous smile. "Why'd you bother?"

"I felt responsible," she replied quietly. "Instead of roaming far and wide, which is the nature of my kind, I remained in the village to guard you and await the Jewel's reappearance, hoping that I could make amends for my cowardice."

Sha reached over and awkwardly patted her shoulder. "Thanks, Buyo. You've given me plenty to think about, so I'll help you look after your girl… although having my sword would be a help."

"Only Lady Kagome can grant your desire, Lord Inuyasha."

He nodded as he focussed on Kagome's pale face. "So she has the Shikon-no-Tama _inside_ her? Poor girl, doomed to be hunted in her turn for the Jewel's power…" Buyo scowled, and Sha hastily held up his hands again. "I _swear_ all I want is my sword!"

"The Tetsusaiga," she murmured. "Sealed by the most powerful holy man of the era to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, and more shielding sutras added over the decades to conceal its _youki_ by the most gifted members of his family line. Even your own lord brother gave up trying to locate the weapon."

"Funny how he's never mentioned _that_."

Buyo shrugged. "The Tetsusaiga was forged to protect humans, beginning with your lady mother, correct?"

"Yeah," he answered, wondering where she was going with this, and he wasn't too happy when he figured it out.

Touching the young woman's cheek, the cat-youkai murmured, "Lady Kagome is a human, and a most worthy one at that."

"Screw _that_, kitty. Once I get my sword, I'm outta here and after Naraku. He's gonna _pay_ … long, hard and painfully… for what he did to Kikyo."

A frosty look stopped him in his tracks. "If you choose to remain at Lady Kagome's side, Lord Inuyasha, I fully expect that Naraku will come to _you_."

"How's that?"

"He was once in pursuit of the Jewel; it shall not be long before he becomes aware of its return."

Sha sat back, regarding her with interest. Nodding slowly, he said admiringly, "Pretty sharp thinking, kitty."

"I have only my claws and your help would be most welcome, even if you are a dog."

The purified hanyou bared his blunt teeth. "You take the form of a calico cat; aren't they usually deaf?"

Buyo stiffened. "My hearing may be compromised from a youkai perspective, but it is still more acute than a human's," she crisply replied.

Sha smirked and changed the subject. "So, any pointers on how to win Miss Higurashi's trust?"

"You will have to prove your good intentions."

"As my true self or what I pretend to be?"

"That is entirely up to you."

At that moment, the young woman let out a long, low groan and shifted, making a face of discomfort. Buyo quickly slid off the bed and whispered in Sha's ear, "I will finish the clean up downstairs and outside; this is your chance to make a favourable impression."

He glanced down at his bandaged torso. "Ya got anything that I can borrow to wear, in case my naked manliness is too much for her virginal eyes?"

"I am fairly sure that she will survive, as she has dealt with naked cadavers for the last couple of semesters." Buyo scooped up the bag containing Kagome's jeans, then crossed to the built-in dresser and extracted a t-shirt plus an over-sized screaming yellow sweatshirt which she shook out, eyed critically, then tossed to Sha.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" he spluttered, aghast at the violent colour.

"Beggars can't be choosers," she smirked, then whisked out of the room ahead of his answering insult, just as Kagome groaned again, her eyelashes fluttering.

Muttering dire imprecations against colour-blind cat-youkai, Sha held off donning the sweatshirt and instead moved his chair so that he was in just the right spot to be the first thing Kagome saw. Right on cue, the young woman opened her eyes and stared blindly for a long moment, then blinked slowly. _Keh. Isn't that just too damn cute? She looks like a drowsy kitten. _ He was rather taken aback when the young woman focussed on him and her expression flickered rapidly through a series of emotions including surprise, confusion and fright.

Before he could say anything, she demanded in a panicky voice, "What the heck are _you _doing in my room?"

Sha hastily rolled his chair backwards in an attempt to calm her fears. "Don't jump to conclusions, girl! I didn't touch you!"

Kagome scowled even as she realized that she was also sporting bandages, and then wondered how she happened to be in her room, since her last memory was of being out in the courtyard. "If you didn't touch me, then how did I end up wearing nothing but some bandages and my pyjamas?"

He blushed, mentally cursed Buyo a few more times, and said, "Okay… technically I _did_ touch you, but only to make sure that you didn't die on me, all right? No nasty stuff; I'm not so hard up that I'd take advantage of an injured woman."

"Oh, really?" she asked sharply, simultaneously casting aspersions on his morals as she tried sitting upright so that she didn't feel so vulnerable. _Oh, that was a bad idea!_ She had a vivid visual memory of dagger-like teeth and glowing red eyes rushing towards her just before pain doubled her over.

"Dammit, lie still! You took some serious damage out there!" the dark-haired man exclaimed as he grasped her shoulders and gently forced her to lie flat. Kagome fell silent, her eyes wide with shock at the unexpected physical contact, not to mention the subtle but possibly unintentional reminder that she was at his mercy.

"Um… okay," she mumbled, drawing the blankets up to her chin and warily watching as he retreated back to her desk chair. More memories of the battle tumbled through her mind, and she remembered to ask, "Are you all right, er, Mr…?"

He noted her expression changing from 'frightened' to 'nervous' before answering, "Nishiki, Miss Higurashi. Sha Nishiki."

She nodded. "Right. Um, weren't you bitten…?"

"Just a scratch," he assured. "Everything is back to normal."

"Normal?" she queried sceptically, then gasped, "Grandpa's gonna _freak_ when he sees the damage to the courtyard! How'm I supposed to explain _that_?"

_Watch yourself, hanyou… on your best behaviour so that she believes you're a nice young man with good manners. _ "When I said 'back to normal', I _meant_ 'absolutely no trace'," he said calmly. "If I didn't have a bum shoulder and a couple of cracked ribs, I'd carry you over to your window and show you that the courtyard looks exactly the way he left it… no broken pavement, no busted fence and most importantly, no dead centipede-youkai lying around." _Plus, I don't want risk you seeing your cat strolling around on two legs._

Kagome considered this for a moment, then whispered, "I don't understand…"

"I'll do my best to explain," Sha replied, but first he held up the virulent sweatshirt. "My clothing was pretty thrashed, too, so is it okay if I borrow this? I found it when I went looking for something to dress you in."

"Sure… but that's my favourite exam-studying sweatshirt, so I'll need it back before Golden Week."

"No worries that I'll swipe it… not my colour."

As he pulled the garment over his head, wincing while his muscles complained, Kagome snickered. "I think the yellow nicely compliments your violet eyes."

"Then you're nuts," he retorted, briefly losing his train of thought when he discovered an unexpected side benefit of wearing Kagome's clothing; it was saturated in her warm scent. _She smells fucking __wonderful__. Lucky I don't have my hanyou senses, or I'd be glassy-eyed and drooling._ Tugging his long hair out of the neckline, he did his best to appear both unaffected and unthreatening as he asked, "How much do you remember?"

The bedroom door creaked and a moment later, a rotund feline hopped up onto the bed. Purring loudly, Buyo bumped her furry head against Kagome's hand and settled herself against the young woman's side within easy scratching range; celadon-green eyes blinked innocently. Sha resisted the urge to make a rude gesture as Kagome slowly asked, "What exactly was that thing? You called it a 'youkai', but…"

"There are nearly as many types of youkai as there are species of birds, animals and insects," he said. "Cat, dog, horse, snake, bat, frog… you name it."

Kagome turned that idea over for a few times. "So… they live among us?"

He carefully considered his answer while studiously avoiding Buyo's gaze. "Yes, and most of the time we peacefully co-exist. However, that centipede-youkai had been sealed in another dimension; a rift opened in the time stream, allowing her to cross into our reality."

Kagome's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. "Does this happen to you often?"

Sha couldn't help chuckling. "Not _that_ often, but I know what I'm talking about."

"What _are_ you?"

"An expert in folklore and the supernatural. It's part of my interest in antiquities," he coolly fibbed.

She contemplated him for a long moment while she scratched Buyo's ears. "Do you understand what the centipede meant when she called me the Shikon-no-Tama?"

Running his hand through his hair and mentally grumbling over his lack of canine ears, Sha decided to be direct. "Do you remember the pink light that erupted when you shot at the centipede?" Kagome hesitantly nodded. "That was the Shikon-no-Tama's reaction to the threat. When the centipede tried munching on you, it was purified into oblivion. You should have died from your injuries, but you survived because the Jewel needs you to stay alive."

"How do you know this?" she asked weakly.

Sha shot Buyo a look before ad-libbing like mad. "I'm just guessing, but your incredible rate of healing, not to mention the spiritual energy you radiated earlier, indicates that you're a uniquely powerful individual… as unique as the first Shikon miko, the Lady Kikyo… but in this case, the Jewel is _inside_ you."

"That was only the first attack, wasn't it?" Kagome mumbled in a very small voice.

"I'm afraid so," he agreed, impressed with how quickly she'd put two and two together. "The Jewel is awake now, and it'll attract the ambitious like moths to a flame… exactly like what happened when the Lady Kikyo protected it. Once word gets out among the human and youkai elements of Japan's criminal underworld, the shrine will become a target."

Fear again tainted both Kagome's scent and expression and Buyo purred even more loudly. "My family will be at risk!" she exclaimed. Sha nodded, pleased that she understood, but was then floored by her next statement. "I'll need more arrows; I wonder if Coach Sagara could score me a full case…"

"You think that you can handle this on your own?" he demanded incredulously.

Her chin lifted. "It's my responsibility to protect the Jewel _and _my family. I can't exactly ask the police for help, can I? They'd lock me up for being a crazy person!"

Sha shook his head. "Mistress Centipede was a lightweight in terms of what you'll face; how does tackling a panther-youkai sound? Or a shadow kitsune? You'll need more firepower at your disposal than a handful of arrows, girl."

"I'll have to make sure that I nail them with the first shot," she insisted mulishly. "Hey, since you know so much about youkai, maybe you could help me out by teaching me the best way to defeat the most common kinds?"

_Just give me back my sword, and I'll be __happy__ to take them down for you,_ he thought, but instead made a show of considering his words before replying, "I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises."

"Thank you, Mr. Nishiki," she answered primly. They sat in silence for a few moments longer, while Kagome digested all the information and he idly wondered how long until his hanyou powers returned because his ribs _hurt_, dammit. She had just opened her mouth to ask another question when they both heard a car pulling into the parking area across the courtyard, and she sat upright, apparently without pain this time. "Oh, no! _Quick!_ You have to get out of here before Grandpa sees you!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: **One of the meanings of 'buyo' is 'dancer'; RT was probably having a bit of fun when she named the rotund feline thus, because another of the wordplays beloved by the Japanese is 'buyobuyo', which means 'chubby'.


	3. Reluctant Allies

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **Inuyasha is five hundred years older than his canon self in this fic, so presumably he's matured somewhat. Possibly just a teensy-weensy bit. Maybe.

**Bouquets:** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose, as well as SusanneTJ, who straightened out the order of the Tetsusaiga's full name for me.

**Warnings: **Violence, coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter Three: Reluctant Allies**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha arched an eyebrow at her panic. "Thought it was strange that no one tried to sell me a Shikon-no-Tama keychain the entire time I've been here…" At her sheepish expression, he relented. "My motorcycle is parked out there, so kinda tough to pretend that you don't have a visitor."

Kagome buried her face in her hands. "I'm _doomed_… I'm home alone, in my bedroom with a guy… while my family's away. How's that going to _look_?"

"Like the guy's a lucky bastard?" he smirked, but was unable to duck the pillow she hurled. Laughing at her fierce expression, he held up the hand not bracing his damaged ribs. "Don't waste time, girl… you need to memorize our cover story."

"_Our?_" she repeated frostily.

"We're in this together, Miss Higurashi."

"Right up to our necks," Kagome grumbled morosely.

"Here's my best effort; you were kindly giving me a tour of the shrine when you collapsed, so I brought you into the house…"

"Doesn't explain the change of clothes."

"Fine. You collapsed and puked all over yourself."

"Ugh. Guess it'll have to do… but why did _you_ have to change?"

"You barfed _after_ I picked you up."

"Are you _sure_ you wouldn't rather just go out the window?"

He shook his head as they clearly heard the foyer door clatter open. "Not in my delicate condition… unless you can come up with a really good reason why a motorcycle jacket is draped over a chair in your kitchen."

"Oh, man…." Kagome slumped with a resigned sigh; Sha rolled closer and tucked the pillow back into place behind her.

"Do your best to appear pale and pathetic, Miss Higurashi, because you look pretty good for someone who barfed, never mind was nearly eviscerated about an hour ago." She made a face, and he gave her a charming grin. "Make sure that you dispose of those bandages without your family finding out."

They heard her mother calling; Kagome gave him a slightly panicky look before raising her voice in reply. "Up here, Mom!"

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and then Mrs. Higurashi arrived in the doorway. She halted at the sight of the violet-eyed, dark-haired young man lounging at her daughter's bedside, wearing one of Kagome's most obnoxiously-hued sweatshirts. For his part, Sha nearly fell out of the chair as a jolt of recognition rocked his equilibrium. _No fucking way… does reincarnation run in this fucking family?_ Recalling himself just in time to avoid gaping or profanity, he quickly stood up and executed a _very_ polite bow. "Good afternoon, ma'am. I am Sha Nishiki."

After a quick glance at Kagome, who smiled wanly from among her pillows, Mrs. Higurashi returned his greeting. "Good afternoon, Mr. Nishiki; Yayoi Higurashi," she replied, somewhat disconcerted by finding the handsome visitor in her home, but she focussed on the matter at hand. "What happened?"

Kagome made a face. "I was giving Mr. Nishiki a tour of the shrine grounds when I felt really dizzy and then I passed out."

"Miss Higurashi vomited as she lost consciousness," Sha cheerfully supplied as he indicated the yellow sweatshirt. "She was kind enough to let me borrow this."

"Ah… _vomited_… my goodness… I'm _so_ sorry for the trouble, Mr. Nishiki."

"No trouble at all, ma'am," he assured with a dismissive wave.

Mrs. Higurashi's motherly intuition was chiming madly, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why, so she turned to fussing over her daughter. "How are you feeling now, dear?"

"My stomach's still really sore," Kagome mumbled, trying to look brave.

"Let me make you some tea. Mr. Nishiki? Won't you join us?"

"That's very kind, but now that you've returned I really should be on my way," Sha answered smoothly. _'Ya__yoi__'… dammit, the gods love to screw with me._ Inclining his head to Kagome, he said, "I look forward to completing our tour the next time, Miss Higurashi," before following Mrs. Higurashi out of the room and down the stairs.

In the kitchen, Sha was amused to find the elderly priest inspecting his leather jacket with the purse-lipped disdain usually reserved for three-day-old dead fish. Mrs. Higurashi stepped aside and announced, "This is Mr. Sha Nishiki; Kagome had a little mishap while we were gone and he looked after her. May I introduce my father-in-law, Genma Higurashi, and… where's Sota?"

"Here, Mom," the teenager piped up as he arrived in the room. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Nishiki… nice motorcycle."

The old man pinned Sha with a disconcertingly sharp eye; he hastily bowed while making polite noises that it was no trouble, really, and that he was glad to have been of assistance. Retrieving his jacket, he extracted another calling card from his case and presented it to Mr. Higurashi with both hands. "'Adamant Antiquities'? Never heard of you," the old man sniffed after a perfunctory glance.

"My specialty is antique weapons, and a colleague told me that the Sunset Shrine owns an unusual example of a sacred sword. I dropped by today hoping to see it," Sha said politely as he carefully shouldered into his coat. _How did the cat disguise the hole?_

"Ah, the Murakumo-no-Tsurugi! The legendary sword discovered by the god Susano'o in the tail of the eight-headed dragon…"

"Which definitely _isn't_ at this shrine," Sota interrupted with an apologetic glance at Sha. "However, we _do_ have the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga, a sword that supposedly belonged to the youkai once sealed to our Goshinboku."

The tall man nodded. "Miss Higurashi said as much just before she collapsed. I would be very interested in seeing the artefact."

"It's far too valuable," the old man said smugly. "I have been offered a small fortune for it by a private collector, but it will remain at this shrine for posterity."

"It would truly be an honour to view such a treasure," Sha commented guilelessly. He bowed politely and took his leave, accompanied by Sota.

Just inside the foyer, the teen whispered hurriedly, "Gramps is kinda funny about the sword, Mr. Nishiki, but Sis and I could probably figure out a way to let you have a look without him finding out."

"I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble…"

"No trouble, Mr. Nishiki… I like antique swords, too. Just don't be disappointed because it looks like a piece of junk, even though Gramps insists that it's 'worth millions'."

"I'll swing by in a couple of days to see how Miss Higurashi is doing, and to return this," Sha said, indicating the bright yellow sweatshirt.

Sota grinned. "It coulda been worse… there's an eye-scorching hot pink one, too." He stuck out his hand. "Thanks for helping my sister, Mr. Nishiki; she was lucky that you're an honourable man."

_If you only knew, whelp… 'honourable' doesn't exactly cover my intentions towards that sword._ Sha shook hands with the teen and took his leave; as he crossed the courtyard, he wasn't terribly surprised to see a rotund calico feline waiting next to his motorcycle, her tail-tip rapidly twitching against the pavement. Buyo meowed and strolled up the shrine steps until she was against the building's wall and out of sight of the house; she then transformed into her tall, slender humanoid form. As Sha retrieved his helmet, he commented, "You'd better be careful now that the Jewel's awake, kitty. Your human might be able to see your _youki_."

"That is a risk you will also face, Lord Inuyasha," she replied. "A word of warning; don't be surprised if Lady Kagome's grandfather begins making inquiries as to your character and background if you become a frequent visitor to the shrine in your attempts to regain your weapon."

"Why?"

"He's very traditional, and you were alone with his granddaughter in her bedroom."

"Puh-_leeze_. What century is this?"

Buyo examined her claws. "A clever man… or hanyou… _could_ negotiate a dowry that included the object of his desires."

"Keh. The old geezer might cough up the sword in order to marry off his granddaughter? Intriguing proposition, but I doubt _she'd_ be interested," he scoffed as he pulled on his helmet. "Hey, how'd you fix my jacket?"

"I have my talents." Buyo resumed her feline form as Sha straddled the bike; he gave her a sardonic look before roaring away.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha was several blocks away from the shrine when he glimpsed a familiar limousine bearing the same floral crest as his motorcycle moving sedately down a tree-lined side street. Ignoring the horns of startled motorists, he cut through three lanes of traffic and shot through the intersection on a stale yellow. He needn't have risked his injured body, because the limo was idling next to the curb about half-way down the block. Frowning inside the helmet, Sha glanced around to see if he could figure out what had drawn his brother's attention. _Nothing but a…huh? What the hell's he up to __now__?_ Rolling his motorcycle alongside the sleek vehicle, he knocked on the rear passenger window as he flipped up his visor; as an afterthought, he made sure his jacket was zipped up to the throat to hide the bright sweatshirt. _Mr. Gentleman's-fucking-Quarterly would have a field day with this!_ When the tinted glass descended, he leaned down and smirked, "Adding lustre to the House of the West's glorious reputation, Lord Sesshiro Nishiki? Loitering outside a private women's college could get you arrested for being a pervert; wouldn't _that_ look good as a banner headline!"

The taiyoukai once known as Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands favoured Sha with a withering glare, but otherwise refused to rise to the bait. Instead, he frowned minutely when he detected the combined scents of blood and humanity on the younger man. "I might have known that _you_ had something to do with that release of spiritual energy earlier this afternoon," he commented dryly.

"The Shikon-no-Tama is back."

"Congratulations on breaking your previous record of being purified by its protector; last time, several months… this time, only a matter of hours."

"Fuck off, asshole. _I_ was protecting _her_ when it happened; she had no hope of controlling the fucking power surge."

"'Her'… the Higurashi girl? She was attacked?"

"A centipede-youkai broke its fucking seal and came through a dimensional rift; nearly killed both of us until the Jewel leant a hand."

"Is the Jewel currently in a secure location?"

"It's _inside_ her," Sha admitted unhappily.

"Miss Higurashi is unprotected?" Sesshiro demanded in a dangerous tone.

"An undercover cat-youkai lives at the shrine."

"Is the creature to be trusted?"

"Buyo has been part of the family since the Warring States era; she is both honourable and devoted to Miss Higurashi." When his brother remained silent and disapproving, Sha added, "Buyo was present when I was sealed; she says that a youkai named Naraku was behind the whole mess because he wanted both Kikyo and the Shikon-no-Tama. Ya heard anything about the fucker in the last few centuries?"

"Not since a wretch by that name foolishly attacked my wife."

"Wait a _fucking_ minute! That was _Naraku_?" Sha fairly shouted. As his brother shot him a quelling look, a musical tone chimed from the school building and Sesshiro straightened, his nostrils flaring. Sha noted the change in the taiyoukai's demeanour and also sat upright. As the building's doors opened, releasing a flood of giggling navy-and-white clad young women into the courtyard, he tried to guess which one had attracted Sesshiro's attention… and instantly spotted her. "Holy gods… is that who I _think_ it is?" he breathed, his displeasure temporarily forgotten.

Sesshiro murmured, "Her name is Karin Mifune; nineteen years old, heiress to a steel fortune."

"Heiress?" Sha asked, keenly watching the long-legged young woman and noting the distinctive way she wore her hair; swept to the side and secured by a fancy barrette_. Is it something in the fucking water around here? If that really __is__ Rin's reincarnation, then this is going beyond 'coincidental' to fucking __freaky__._

"Losing her birth family at a young age continues to be her karma," his brother replied, his eyes never leaving the willowy young woman as she bid goodbye to her friends and entered an expensive sedan, the door held by a uniformed driver. "She is exactly as I remember.…"

"Do your brats know?"

"Tsugane found her, on one of his nightclubbing forays."

Sha barely stifled a snicker. "Bet he chatted her up… did he try to kiss her?"

Sesshiro's lip curled. "He recognized her scent instantly; what child does not know his own mother?"

The hanyou first flushed, then went pale and took a moment to compose himself. "On that note, I'm now dealing with _two_ reincarnations of women from my past."

The taiyoukai's gaze became uncomfortably sharp. "Two?"

Sha gave him a rueful look. "Miss Higurashi's mother is the spitting image of my lady mother; her name is 'Yayoi'."

"Hn. What is your plan for securing Miss Higurashi's safety?"

"Working on it," he replied, snapping his visor closed and accelerating away with an obscene salute. Sesshiro watched him depart, his expression remote, then reached for his cell phone.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Two days later…**_

Genma Higurashi ceased his sweeping and leaned on his broom as the powerful motorcycle rumbled towards him across the parking area. The corners of his mouth turned down under his drooping moustache when he realized it was the young antiques dealer, but he grudgingly admitted that Sota was possibly correct; the owner of 'Adamant Antiquities' must be fairly prosperous if he could afford such an expensive machine… either that, or he was in debt up to his violet-coloured eyeballs.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Higurashi," Sha greeted him politely as soon as he doffed his helmet. The old man eyed the luxuriant fall of black hair spilling over the younger man's shoulders and 'harrumphed' before briefly inclining his head. "I've brought back Miss Higurashi's sweatshirt; shall I leave it with you, or…?"

"Mr. Nishiki! Hello!" hailed a cheerful voice, and they both turned to see Mrs. Higurashi waving madly from the foyer door. "I've just finished a batch of _botamochi,_ and I need a taste-tester!"

"Absolutely, Mrs. Higurashi!" he eagerly responded, then shyly asked, "By any chance did you make _kurogoma-botamochi_?"

She laughed gaily, and his heart flipped over as the cheerful sound brought long-buried memories flooding back. "_Kurogoma_ happens to be Sota's favourite, so there _might_ be a few on the plate."

"I'll be right there, ma'am!" he grinned back, then waited for the elder Higurashi to precede him towards the house, but was waved on with an irritable grunt.

"Go ahead, boy. Some of us have work to do…"

"Thank you, sir." Sha bobbed his head and loped off across the courtyard to where Mrs. Higurashi waited to escort him inside.

Genma Higurashi chewed his lip for a long moment, then looked down when Buyo rubbed against his shins. Addressing the mewing cat, he confided, "That one is going to be trouble, my girl. You just watch."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

While he waited at the low table in the _tatami_ room, Sha reacquainted himself with the pictures on the chest as well as the intriguing contents of the shrine… while trying to remind himself that while his hostess had the face, form and scent of the woman most dear to him, she was no more an exact duplicate of his mother than her daughter was of Kikyo. _Thank the gods there's no genetic connection between my lady mother and Mrs. Higurashi, because I don't fancy Kagome as my sister! _Politely accepting the proffered cup of tea… _not_ served in a pottery tanuki, he gratefully noted… he commented, "Allow me to express my condolences on your husband's passing, ma'am."

"He's been gone for a very long time, Mr. Nishiki, but I thank you all the same," she said as she set down a lacquered tray containing a colourful arrangement of red, black and golden-hued _botamochi_. Glancing towards the niche, her expression softened and her lovely smile became wistful; he easily detected the sadness twining through her scent now that his temporary purification had cleared up.

Selecting a dainty morsel thoroughly coated in sugared black sesame seeds and just before taking a bite, Sha asked, "May I inquire about that _shakujou_ finial?"

Mrs. Higurashi sipped before answering, "I'm not surprised that caught your eye. It is a family heirloom that once belonged to a young monk who was allegedly cursed with a deadly void in his palm. He was the brother-in-law of my husband's esteemed ancestor."

Sha was so busy communing with the _botamochi_ that he nearly missed his cue. "These are _delicious_, Mrs. Higurashi… um, a void?"

"Thank you, Mr. Nishiki; I'm glad that you're enjoying them." She smiled fondly, and he had to resist the urge to curl up in her lap. "The void was apparently the legacy of a battle between the young monk's grandfather and a youkai, and it sucked in everything around him unless it was sealed with a strand of prayer beads."

"I'm home!" Kagome called, shedding a bright yellow backpack on her way through the door. "Oooh, _botamochi_! Yum… thanks, Mom!" She swooped on the tray and scooped one coated in sticky red bean paste.

As she munched, making appropriate noises of appreciation while her mother went into the kitchen to acquire another tea cup, Sha surreptitiously inhaled the young woman's warm scent and was relieved to find it free of all taint relating to her injury. _Dammit… it oughta be illegal for someone to smell so fucking good._ Watching with amusement while she dithered over her next choice before selecting a golden-hued ball, he snagged the last sesame-coated treat and grinned at her scowl as he popped it into his mouth.

"Something else you may find interesting, Mr. Nishiki… remember the 'unofficial' version of the shrine's history I told you the other day?" she asked brightly after hastily licking her fingers. Keeping one eye on the doorway into the kitchen, she dropped the false chirpiness and whispered, "I need to talk to you… alone."

"Of course."

"The 'third person' who came between the priestess and the youkai was the same one responsible for the monk's curse," she declared more loudly and in the same overly-cheerful tone for her mother's benefit while she watched for his reaction.

Sha blinked rapidly. "Do you have _proof _that it was the same person?" he demanded.

She shrugged and wiped up some scattered seeds with a dampened fingertip. "I poked around in my great-grandfather's papers yesterday, and found a document he wrote back in the 1940s about the family legends. According to tradition, Onigumo/Naraku used his shape-shifting abilities to cause both tragedies." Kagome gave him an appraising glance. "You're interested in old weapons, right? The monk's wife was supposedly a _taijiya_, and we have her enormous bone boomerang in one of the storage sheds."

"A youkai-slayer? A _bone_ boomerang? You're pulling my leg!"

"Nope. The thing weighs a ton, but there are plenty of wear marks that show it was used; I'd like to have it tested to see if it really _is_ made out of bone, but Gramps won't hear of it in case the 'valuable family heirloom' is damaged in the process."

Mrs. Higurashi returned with a fresh pot of tea. "Lord Miroku and Lady Sango," she supplied. "He was eventually consumed by the void in his palm, he and his wife together. We are descendents of Lady Sango's younger brother, Lord Kohaku."

"Any more _kurogoma_?" Kagome asked hopefully, then pounced when her mother winked and handed over another of the sesame-seed coated treats. Sha drank the rest of his tea while he waited for the young woman to finish eating, enjoying the friendly atmosphere even as he prepared to be barraged by questions that he wasn't really sure he could… or should… answer. "Would you mind helping me set up for my archery practice?" she finally asked once she'd drained her cup.

"Certainly, Miss Higurashi; when is your competition?"

"On Saturday. I'm borrowing Mr. Nishiki for a little while, Mom," Kagome said briskly as she bounced upright.

"Thank you; that archery butt is heavy and Sota won't be home for a while."

"Thanks for the tea, and especially for the _ohagi,_ Mrs. Higurashi," Sha said as he stood up. She beamed, and he hastily swallowed the lump in his throat as he bowed. Kagome noted his stricken expression and gave him an odd look as they exited the room. While they donned their coats on in the foyer, Sha handed Kagome the bag containing her yellow sweatshirt. "I washed it already, so you don't have to worry about cooties."

"Never mind cooties… do you have fleas?" she asked anxiously, tucking the bag next to the shoe rack.

"Wh-_what_?" he stuttered.

"Buyo sometimes gets infested in the spring and the fall; I was worried that some of her little hitchhikers might have transferred to you in the sweatshirt."

Mentally exhaling, Sha shook his head. "None that I've noticed."

"Good." Shouldering her bow and quiver, she led the way outside and around the back of the house towards a storage shed. "How are your ribs?"

"Fine; I only bruised them."

"I was wondering how you could've bandaged yourself so neatly, but I guess that if you've had, er, _encounters_ like that before, you must have some practice. Couldn't very well go to the hospital, huh?"

"Uh… no."

"What'd you do with the rest of my clothes?"

Sha thought fast and crossed his fingers that he'd correctly guessed what Buyo had done. "Put your jeans and a decoy t-shirt in the washing machine so your mom hopefully wouldn't notice anything missing, then took the rest with me. Wasn't much left of the clothing you were wearing."

"I told Mom that I loaned the jacket to Yuri; it was my favourite," Kagome pouted lightly before she looked around carefully. "Gotta make sure that Gramps doesn't see us," she muttered.

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes. "You've been here five times in less than two weeks; Gramps is gonna demand to know your intentions towards me… or my mother… by the weekend if you're not careful."

"Your _mother_?" he asked, mildly aghast, until he remembered that Kagome didn't know about _her_ former life, never mind her mother's previous incarnation. "She's a terrific person, and if her _botamochi_ are a clue to her cooking skills, she'd make someone a wonderful wife… but definitely not mine."

"Do you have an older brother that might be interested?" Chortling at the expression on his face, she towed a disconcerted Sha behind the shed.

He did his best to school his features when Kagome turned to face him after yet another check of the vicinity for nosey grandparental units._ Fuck… will the extra layer of spells be enough? _ _My only hope is that she won't know what she's looking at if it turns out that she can see my __youki__._

"I thought about what you said," she began, "about the Shikon-no-Tama being inside me and about the danger to my family…" He patiently waited while she bit her lip and shifted from foot to foot. "Since you're apparently my 'resident expert' on youkai, is there anything or anyone available to train me?"

"Train you?" he repeated.

"On how to best use this power inside me to protect the people who matter to me."

"We'd better set up your target, so your grandfather doesn't think we're out here smooching," Sha stalled, brushing past on his way to the shed doors while he considered his answer. "Warrior-miko are a little thin on the ground these days, so finding someone to train your spiritual powers isn't gonna be easy… if not impossible." The straw-packed archery butt on its stand wasn't particularly big, but it was heavy enough to be awkward. "Where do you want this?"

"Over by the fence." Kagome grabbed the wooden tripod, knocking over a paint can in the process and hop-skipped in order to keep up with his longer stride. "If youkai live among us, wouldn't there be people with spiritual powers to protect humans from them? Like a police force?"

Sha almost laughed out loud at that; instead, he positioned the target with great care on the stand. "From my experience, youkai tend to police themselves, because you can probably imagine the outcry if humans realized that supernatural creatures like kitsune or _hyakki-komori_ are actually real."

"Good point," she agreed, practically bristling with curiosity. "You're making it sound like there's a parallel youkai society operating alongside our own."

"That unexpected 'visitor' the other day wasn't enough proof that things aren't always what they seem?" he asked wryly as he followed her back to where faded lines of paint indicated the ranges.

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "The presence of youkai explains some of the unsolved crimes that show up on the news."

Sha gave her a sharp look. "Don't assume that _all_ youkai are evil," he growled.

She jumped slightly, then became adorably contrite. "Oh! Of course not… there must be good youkai, too, just like humans can swing either way." When he curtly nodded, she took up a stance. Twirling a jade thumb ring between her fingertips, she pleaded, "Do you have _any _suggestions? Anything that I might be able to work with?"

On a hunch, he suggested, "When you fired at Mistress Centipede, what emotions were you feeling?"

"Scared out of my mind!" she immediately replied and then blushed. "Um… I, er, wanted to protect you," Kagome mumbled, finding the pavement extremely interesting.

"Keh. That's a starting point, I guess. Aim at the target while imagining that it's an ogre… attacking your mother."

"My mom again, huh?" she smirked. "_Sure_ you aren't interested in older women?"

It was Sha's turn to roll his eyes. "I figured that if I said 'your brother', you'd offer the ogre a couple of hundred yen to _eat_ him."

Giggling, Kagome slid the thumb ring into place, fished an arrow out of her quiver and notched it to the bowstring; bringing the weapon up into firing position, she steadied herself. Sha watched her demeanour change and her body tense until she was fairly glaring down the arrow's shaft when the tip burst into brilliant pink flames. Letting out a startled yelp, she nearly dropped the missile. "_Look!_ I did it!" she cheered; Sha just managed to not jump back when she excitedly waved it under his nose.

Quickly catching hold of her wrist, he gently made sure that the hissing arrow was pointed in the other direction before letting go. "Very good, Miss Higurashi. A desire to protect someone appears to be the key to accessing your spiritual power." She did a little dance of triumph before re-notching the arrow. Holding her stance for several heartbeats, she suddenly glowed with energy before releasing the blazing missile at the target. Sha winced. _Shit. She might as well have put up a flashing neon sign on the roof that says 'All You Can Eat Shikon-no-Tama'._

He had another problem on his hands when Kagome turned towards him, grinning like a lunatic… just before her expression changed to puzzlement. Sha tried to look unconcerned as she studied him, but he had a very bad feeling that the extra layers of spells on his concealment anchor were no longer enough. Kagome took a step towards him, her hand outstretched and a question on her lips, but she stopped and squinted at something just above his head. _Fuck. She can see my __ears__! _As he braced himself for her next question, he caught the faintest susurration that raised the hair on the back of his neck as his _youki_ prickled warningly. He swung around, all his senses straining to locate the danger, just as what felt like a hot wire sliced into his cheek. "Ow! _Shit!_"

Kagome yanked him backwards. "Be careful! It's everywhere!"

Sha was surprised when she gently touched his bleeding cheek, but he quickly demanded, "_What's_ everywhere?"

"You can't see it?"

"See _what_?"

"It's like a huge web," she whispered, her glance flitting nervously between the forest and the house. "Where did it all come from so fast?"

Sha pulled her against his side, ignoring her startled squeak as he tuned his hearing… then immediately pushed her beneath him as an airy rush ended with a piece of metal smashing down on his upraised arm with enough force to shatter bone if he'd been human.

"_Grandpa?_"

Sha kept Kagome tucked under his arm as he bundled her out of range while quickly assessing the old man. Mr. Higurashi's chin rested on his chest and his eyes were closed; a spade dangled from one hand… and he was floating several feet in mid-air. "_What the hell_?" he yelled when the old man lunged forward with impossible speed and agility, chopping downward with the spade's sharpened edge.

Kagome let out a shriek when she found herself twenty feet away from her grandfather-turned-assassin, shoved protectively behind Sha as the spade crashed loudly onto the pavement. The old man's head snapped back and forth as his body absorbed the impact of the near-miss, and then drifted downward until the spade returned to his hand. "Don't hurt him!" Kagome implored as Sha crouched in an attack stance.

"I don't fucking intend to," he snapped, trying to figure out the best way to disarm the old man without breaking any of his undoubtedly arthritic joints.

Kagome's fingers dug into his shoulders. "Around his wrists… there's strands attached to him… like he's a puppet."

Sha had no reason to doubt her. "Where else?"

"Around his chest… his waist… knees…"

"Stay here," Sha commanded in a tight voice. "I'm gonna try to cut him free." As her grandfather swooped towards them, the spade raised, he launched straight at the old man. Tackling him around the waist, Sha used his claws to slash the air around Mr. Higurashi's wrist. As the spade clattered to the ground, however, both of his hands wrapped themselves around Sha's throat and squeezed with surprising strength. "When I get _my_ hands on whoever did this, they're gonna regret pissing me off," the young man grunted, as he sought for the invisible bonds while maintaining his hold on the old man's body.

The back of his hand was criss-crossed with thin red streaks and black spots danced across his vision by the time he clumsily cut all the strands and Mr. Higurashi's grip finally went slack. Muttering a string of expletives, Sha swept his invisible claws up the old man's body, cutting through three more points of resistance until the old man folded over his shoulder and they dropped to the ground. Snarling a curse, he backed up until Kagome latched onto his jacket and guided him to relative safety up against the house wall. "Where should we put him?"

"Not out here!" she hissed.

"I wasn't suggesting that!" he growled back. "We have to figure out what to tell your mother, though; something that will keep her in the house."

"Why not just the truth?"

"Oh sure… 'By the way, I was nearly eaten by a giant centipede a couple of days ago'," he sing-songed, then snorted, "Keh. Didn't think you were all _that_ keen to be locked up in the loony bin."

She mumbled something under her breath before saying more loudly, "I just _don't_ like sneaking around."

"Get used to it, Shikon Snack, because you're the only one that can see… aw, _shit._ When does your brother come home?"

"Um… in half an hour… maybe…?" she stammered, taken by surprise by the turn in the conversation. Indicating his chest pocket, Sha almost banged Mr. Higurashi's head on the house wall as he turned towards her; Kagome quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Careful!"

"Dig out my cell phone… better check to see how much time we have to defeat this thing without an audience."

Unzipping his jacket, Kagome fished inside for the phone. Checking its display she said, "Hour and a half, because he has kenjutsu practice today. We're good."

"All right. We'll ditch your gramps in the house and warn your mother."

"What? We're gonna _tell_ her after all?"

"Well, not in so many words…" Sha grabbed Kagome's hand and towed her around the corner of the house to the door. The blushing young woman had just extracted herself from his grip when Buyo raced across the courtyard, yowling like her tail was on fire. Sha scowled lightly, but Kagome let out a cry of dismay.

"There's a strand wrapped around her! Come here, girl; I'll take care of it!"

Sha watched as Kagome plucked at the air behind the cat, then jumped a little himself when she snatched back her hands… but not before a sliding droplet of her blood revealed a hair-thin filament that squirmed as if alive. "Try directing your spiritual energy into your fingers," he directed. "I'll bet you can fry it." Kagome sucked on her bleeding fingertips, looking thoughtful, and then leaned forward just as Buyo gave Sha a panicked look. "Do your best to keep the energy under control, because you don't want to scorch the cat." _Crap. Hope she doesn't ask why kitty might care_… The young woman nodded as she took a deep breath and concentrated. Her fingertips sparked, then glowed; he could see the effort Kagome was making to control her power in the sweat beading on her face. _The cat's about to shit herself… don't be a wimp, Buyo!_

"It's wrapped around your hind leg… don't be afraid, sweetie. I'll make it stop hurting you," Kagome crooned softly. Buyo mewed plaintively, but held still as Kagome used her other hand to straighten the cat's leg while her energy-coated fingers twirled in the air around the feline's paw. The power came dangerously close to Buyo's _youki_-created fur; Sha wondered how long the cat could hold her breath. "There you go… it's all gone," Kagome finally announced in a relieved tone. Releasing the cat, she allowed the energy to fizzle out as she stood up and opened the door. Quickly shooing Buyo inside, she stopped Sha when he made to follow and produced a tissue out of her pocket. "You have blood on your cheek," she whispered and quickly wiped away the already-flaking scab, leaving only a faint red line. "Your rate of healing is _incredible_."

"Superior genes."

Kagome stuffed the tissue back into her pocket as she crossed the narrow foyer in two strides and whipped open the inner door while shucking her shoes. "Where should I put him?" Sha asked as he stepped out of his boots. She pointed down the hallway leading off to the right. On cue, Mrs. Higurashi popped out of the nearest doorway, her arms full of bedding.

"My goodness! What happened? Bring him right this way, Mr. Nishiki!" As she bustled into the room ahead of them to lay out the futon, Sha tried to not obviously wrinkle his nose. _Keh. Old-man stink, tatami mats, hanging screens and… is that a block pillow? Traditional old bastard; bet he wouldn't hesitate to exorcise me if he knew the truth._

Kagome glanced at Sha and cleared her throat. "We found Gramps lying by the main shrine… we, er, heard him call out, but he was unconscious by the time we reached him..."

"Oh, dear…" Mrs. Higurashi sighed, shaking her head. Sha laid the old man out on the thick mattress and she straightened his limbs before covering him with several blankets. "He must have come down with the same illness that you had a couple of days ago, Kagome, but I'm sure he'll be all right with a little rest. You recovered quickly enough." Buyo stepped onto the futon and tucked herself against the old man's side, purring loudly. Affectionately tweaking the cat's ears, Mrs. Higurashi added, "I'm very glad that you were here, Mr. Nishiki. It would have been very difficult for us to carry him into the house by ourselves."

"No problem, Mrs. Higurashi; glad to be of help." _Buyo can take care of anything that gets past us, so Yayoi and the old man are safe. _

"Continue with your archery practice, Kagome; you don't want to disappoint your coach on Saturday," Mrs. Higurashi continued. "Buyo and I will watch over Grandpa."

Sha flashed a dazzling smile as he and Kagome retreated from the room. As they moved down the hall and into the foyer, the young woman playfully smacked him in the arm. "_What?_" he demanded.

"Quit making puppy eyes at my mom," she grinned. "You're lucky Gramps didn't see that!"

Sha snorted as he held open the outer door. "It'd be like flirting with my own mother," he said, shivering lightly. Once outside and the door safely shut behind them, he asked in a low voice, "Can you see any pattern to the strands?"

Kagome looked carefully, and finally said, "There are plenty of criss-crossing tangles, but woven in with them there's thicker, shinier filaments running horizontally."

"Which direction?"

"Into the forest."

"Of _course_ they do, _dammit_," he grumbled, glaring at the densely-packed vegetation looming just beyond the fence. "It's always a really bad idea to let your enemy choose the battlefield."

"You sound like you have some experience with that," Kagome commented curiously.

"More than you can guess," he said cryptically as he took off his jacket and dropped it over her shoulders. "Wear this… you need the extra protection."

Fingering the collar, she regarded his t-shirt with dismay. "Um… are you sure?"

"I'm tougher than I look," he said carelessly. "Can you get us to the fence without losing any limbs to this stuff?"

Inspecting the strands that only she could see, Kagome assessed the ground they had to cover between the house and the fence. Finally, she nodded and pulled the collar of his jacket up around her ears. "Follow me, but stay really low."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Bent double, they scuttled across the pavement, Sha cursing quietly when he zigged instead of zagged and ended up with a seeping red line streaking across his chest. When Kagome paused to look back, he gave her a brisk shove. "Keep moving… don't let 'em get a lock on us."

When they reached the tall fence, Kagome crouched lower and squeezed through the lowest pair of crossbars… or tried to. The hump on her back created by the quiver and bow under the fur-lined leather jacket was too much for the space and she briefly stuck. With an exasperated sigh, Sha yanked her free and stood her upright. "Up and over," he directed. The young woman nodded, shoved her arms into the sleeves, then gamely began scaling the fence while he slipped through and watched as she swung her leg over the topmost beam. She pushed off a little too enthusiastically, flipped right over and ended up clinging upside down to the crossbar. Sha coughed lightly, then observed, "It tends to work better if you keep your balance…"

"It isn't funny!" she hissed furiously.

"Course it isn't," he agreed, his lips twitching, but he moved fast enough when she lost her grip while feeling around for a foothold. Lunging upward as she fell, he intercepted her a few feet off the ground, then curled around her to cushion their landing. _Shit! Hope she didn't notice how far we dropped!_ "Good job on not screaming," he said as casually as possible as he set her on her feet.

Kagome gave herself a little shake and then adopted a superior air as she adjusted her quiver and his jacket. "Didn't want to alert the enemy," she answered, her voice cracking slightly.

Sha nodded, then waited for her to lead the way. His sense of unease increased the deeper they moved into the undergrowth as he noted the large amount of freshly snipped leaves and branches hanging off the bushes and littering the ground underfoot. He also realized what else was bothering him. "It's too fucking quiet," he murmured. "We should be hearing birdsong at the very least… and there's _nothing_." They held still, listening intently, and he became aware of very faint, extremely high-pitched squeaks and squeals. "I can hear the strands rubbing against each other in the breeze… either that, or you have a colony of bats around here."

Kagome opened her mouth to reply, but instead her eyes widened as she spotted something over his shoulder. Sha whipped around and promptly grunted from the impact of a very sharp sword driving straight through his chest. From behind, Kagome let out a sharp cry that made him fear for her safety, but there was no corresponding stink of her blood. _Didn't manage a two-for-one… but ya thoroughly blew my cover, ya fucker._ The sword twisted slightly, grating on his sternum before yanking itself free and returning speedily to the hand of a scantily-clad, startlingly beautiful woman poised overhead in the branches of a sturdy tree.

As Kagome clutched at his arm, whimpering over the red blossoming across his chest and back, the fair unknown smirked, "Well, well, _well_… the rumours are _true_ after all! Inuyasha of the Western Lands is playing fetch with _another_ priestess! Tsk, tsk, darling… didn't dallying with the first one teach you _anything_?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N**: _**Botamochi**_ are homey Japanese treats, traditionally eaten to celebrate the fall and spring equinoxes (if munched in the fall, they're called _ohagi_). Made with two kinds of cooked rice mashed and filled with sweetened, ground adzuki bean paste (called _koshi an_), then rolled in different coatings which may include more _koshi an_ or ground black sesame seeds mixed with sugar (_kurogoma_) or toasted golden soy bean flour (_kinako_) seasoned with sugar and salt, they're like a dessert version of the ubiquitous _onigiri_.

**Murakumo-no-Tsurugi** – Original name of a mythical weapon currently enshrined at Atsuta Shrine on behalf of the Japanese Emperor, mentioned in the IY movie _Swords of an Honourable Ruler. _Now known as the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi - the Grasscutter – due to a famous battle won by the hero Yamato when he discovered that the sword's mystical power included control over the winds. Lessee… a supernatural sword with the power to cut the wind… wonder where I've heard that before… _hmmm_…

For the purposes of this fic, Kagome is using steel-tipped competition arrows at all times; in reality, she'd be firing blunted practice arrows for safety's sake and to save wear and tear on her straw-stuffed target.


	4. Ties That Bind

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate do.

**A/N: **That's it for reincarnations in this fic; trouble comes in threes, as they say!

**Bouquets:** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, SilverOnTheRose and Ranuel.

**Warnings: **Violence, coarse language and scantily-clad homicidal hairdressers.

**The Price**

**Chapter Four: Ties That Bind**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome let go of Sha's arm, her scent tinted with confusion. "I-i-inuyasha…? Western Lands…? What's she talking about, Mr. Nishiki?"

"Tell ya later," he muttered, protectively sweeping her behind him as he dropped into a crouch. _Fuck__… didn't intend for her to find out like this, but at least now I can fight without restrictions!_ "Who the hell are you, bitch? Identify yourself!" he snarled up at their audience, his nose telling him that the woman was definitely a youkai, and a highly dangerous one at that. _Dammit! Her __jyaki__ is fucking powerful…but if I can't see her webs, I'm totally screwed!_

"_Such_ a foul mouth, even for a pedigreed _mongrel_," the woman purred, daintily licking the dripping blade as if savouring a delicious treat. "I'm Yura of the Hair, darling. Won't you drop that ugly concealment spell? I much prefer your natural colouring."

"I've heard of you… a nasty little piece of work with a necrophilia fetish," Sha hissed. "My brother ran you off the Western Lands a couple of centuries ago."

"_La_… yes, he did. the naughty fellow… such _pretty_ hair, too," she pouted. "And yes, I _do_ prefer the dead to the living, because they give up their power without a fight… I do so _hate_ to make a mess when I add to my collection."

Sha heard Kagome gulp before she hoarsely whispered, "Those skull tattoos covering her body… they're _moving_…."

"They're trophies from significant kills," he replied quietly, trying to determine the best way to defeat Yura as quickly as possible. _She musta been a handful for Sess, if the best he could do was to chase her off instead of killing her._ Raising his voice, he demanded, "What the fuck do you want, Yura?" even though he was positive he already knew the answer.

Yura tossed her head and smiled, her ruby-red eyes sparkling with malice. "_La_… just a token for my collection, darling… and the Shikon-no-Tama, of course!"

Behind him, Kagome squeaked and her scent became tainted with fear. "Get your weapons ready, girl," he ordered, flexing his invisible claws.

"Are you finished barking? Good, because hanging about is _boring_… and when I'm bored, I get _cranky_." Yura casually twirled her sword before sending it on a curving trajectory aimed at Kagome. Sha lunged, taking a desperate swipe at the blade but Yura jeered, "Naughty, naughty, little puppy! You shan't spoil my fun!" Manipulating a comb in her left hand, she caught Sha with unseen restraints and dragged him up into the air as the sword reached its target.

Kagome threw up her arm in time to protect her head as she turned away from the weapon. It impacted against Sha's jacket with a dull thud that made her cry out and the garment's owner wince. _That's gonna leave one helluva bruise!_ As he tested the invisible strands' tensile strength, he growled as they began burning like hot wires, streaking more blood across his skin and clothing.

Gliding through the air towards him, Yura positively beamed at her pinioned prey. "_La_… once you're dead, I hope that the concealment spell will break, because black is just so _common_."

Sha's scalp prickled as the youkai tucked her sword under her arm and ran her fingers through his dark hair. "Don't touch me, bitch… I don't want your stink on me!" he snarled defiantly.

"Tsk, tsk. Is _that_ any way to talk to a lady?" Yura cooed, then fisted a silky handful and yanked back his head. "With her guard dog out of the way, the Shikon miko is such easy prey that I'm almost _ashamed_ of myself for taking advantage!" Reclaiming her sword, she cheerfully added, "Now, don't move Inuyasha, or your blood will ruin my trophy," as she lined up the weapon for a killing stroke.

A blazing arrow burned a wide path through the strands binding Sha; as he dropped towards the ground, he buried his claws in his injured chest and coated them with blood. "_Hijin Kessou!_" he shouted, throwing out his arm in a wide arc and sending an array of crescent-shaped red blades whirling through the air towards Yura. One of the bloody blades struck home, severing her sword-arm at the wrist.

The youkai blinked as she examined the bleeding stump. "That's _not_ very nice," she scowled.

"Keh. One down, one to go," Sha growled, assessing his chances for removing her other hand in the same manner. He was briefly distracted by the way the grinning skulls slithered over and under each other on her bared skin, as if jockeying for a better view.

Yura arched a dainty brow. "_La_… you think so? Wishful thinking… _oh_!" Adroitly dodging another glowing arrow, she grumbled, "That priestess simply _must_ go… after I stop _you_ from interfering." Sha was again seized by invisible wires and strung up, then dealt a vicious slash across the chest by the sword, which didn't seem any less deadly despite losing its attachment to Yura's body. "So long as I have my hair, I don't need to actually _hold_ my weapon," she chuckled, then gripped the comb between her teeth. Drawing back her hand, she flung _something_ towards Kagome, who was bravely aiming another missile.

The young woman screamed shrilly a moment later as orange flames raced towards her, briefly illuminating an intricate net. As Kagome's spiritual energy collided with Yura's _jyaki_, there was a fiery explosion that put any Tanabata fireworks display to shame and momentarily blinded the onlookers. When they could see again, they watched Kagome being consumed by a blazing fireball; just before she completely vanished beneath the roiling flames, she let out a frantic scream for help that drove a sharp-edged pang right through Sha's heart.

"_La_, poor puppy. Do you miss your little priestess? You'll be joining her in a few minutes, depending on how quickly you die." She flexed her fingers and the sword looped around behind him; a foot and a half of bloodied steel immediately protruded from his ribcage. "Pity about her hair, though… how does it feel to be my consolation prize, darling?"

Jagged stripes burned into Sha's cheeks through the concealment spell as his eyes turned golden and took on a reddened hue. "_Damn _you!" he roared, struggling to free himself. _Just one hand loose… that's all I need!_

"Bad dog; behave yourself!" the youkai jeered. Manipulating the comb in her teeth, Yura made another sweeping gesture, sending her captive crashing face-first into the earth. The blade slid free of his body just before impact and returned to Yura's side. "You require _discipline_, puppy."

Sha gritted his teeth as he worked to free his wrists from the unseen bonds, hiding his movements beneath his injured body, his hands greasy with his own blood. When Yura's dainty feet landed in front of him, he was ready. The squirming fibres began slithering out from under him and he gambled that she intended to pull him upright for a beheading. Giving a passing thought to the fact that he couldn't smell roasting flesh and wondering at the apparent intensity of Yura's fire attack, Sha tensed his muscles. _I couldn't protect you, Kagome… but I'll avenge you!_

Rearing up onto his knees, Sha drove his claws right through Yura's chest, causing her sword to bite into his shoulder instead of his neck. The skulls covering her skin rushed to cluster around the wound, appearing to gibber soundless objections… or perhaps they were pleading for rescue from their fleshy prison. _Then_ he noticed that Yura was livid with fury instead of dead.

"_Animal!_" she hissed, jerking free and standing over Sha, completely unconcerned that there was a gaping hole through the centre of her ample bosom. Smirking triumphantly at his stunned expression, she crowed, "Do you understand now, stupid dog? I'm _immortal_; a puny hanyou like _you _couldn't ever hope to injure a full youkai like _me_."

Sha sneered right back before snarling, "_Hijin Kessou!_" The small red blades, restricted in size by his limited wrist action, whirled in a tight, deadly pattern and succeeded in removing Yura's remaining hand. He grabbed for the comb, but her sword and hair webs were quicker. The weapon buried itself up to the hilt in his chest and coupled with the strands wound around his wrists and ankles, it forced him over backwards. As soon as he was spread-eagled, the blade withdrew and began plunging repeatedly into his vulnerable belly.

"I'll mince your liver," Yura promised, her red eyes gleaming with murderous satisfaction as she watched the churning sword.

Sha clenched his teeth, determined to not give the bitch any satisfaction and tried to think around the searing pain. Without any response, Yura quickly grew bored with torturing her victim and made a gesture with her dripping stump; the sword pulled out with a nasty squelching noise to hover just above his head. "It's time to offer me your neck, Inuyasha," she cooed in a saccharine tone as the sword angled itself upward… just before she screamed.

The youkai was briefly illuminated by brilliant pink light before she simply dissolved into dust motes, an expression of complete incomprehension on her face. Her blade clattered among the rocks a little _too_ close to his neck, but he hurt too much to care, even when another powerful burst of purification power went off nearby. However, when a sobbing young woman fell to her knees at his side, he summoned the energy to raise his head.

Kagome's face was averted and her hands were tightly clenched on her thighs, but Sha had no trouble smelling her tears above the sharp scent of his own blood. "Oi… what's wrong?" he rasped, hating the way his voice sounded so weak. "Are you all right?"

"_I'm sorry!_" she blurted out, finally giving him a glimpse of her dirt-smudged, tear-streaked face just before she bowed her head. "Please… forgive me!"

"F-forgive _you_? Wh-what the hell for?" he retorted, completely baffled. Any other protests died on his lips when Kagome seized his blood-smeared hand in both of hers and held on tight.

"If you hadn't given me your jacket, you wouldn't be so badly hurt!"

He rolled his eyes, about the only part of him that didn't hurt. "And if I _hadn't_ given you my jacket, you'd be _dead_ right now."

She continued to apply liberal coats of guilt. "I-I couldn't draw a bead on that darn red skull! If only I'd _tried_ harder…"

Sha jerked himself out of contemplating how warm her hands were in time to ask, "Wait… _what_? A red skull?"

Kagome's voice became scarcely more than a whisper. "It was this small red skull, about the size of one of Mom's _botamochi_. It kept appearing and disappearing all over her body; when you drove your hand through her chest, it vanished." She inhaled a deep, shaky breath. "It wasn't until she was… _hurting _you that I was able to target it, because it stayed in plain sight up on her shoulder. I… I'm _so_ sorry, Mr. Nishiki…"

"Inuyasha," he quietly corrected. "My real name is Inuyasha." He half expected her to drop his hand and retreat; he _didn't_ expect her to begin lightly sweeping her thumb over his bloody knuckles in a soothing manner. Confused by her apparent acceptance, he roughly asked, "Don't you get it? I'm a …"

"Youkai?" she finished. "Yeah… the sword-through-the-chest-thing made it kinda obvious that you're not exactly an ordinary human." Sha managed a weak snort as he grimaced at the taste of blood in the back of his throat; she noticed his expression and guessed at the reason. Letting go with one hand, she began working her arm under his shoulders. "Can you sit up? We should move you out of here… since calling an ambulance isn't really an option."

"I just need to rest for a bit and I'll be fine…"

"You've lost a lot of blood; I don't know a thing about youkai physiology, but I imagine that it will take some time to regenerate that amount," she briskly replied. "Let's go." Pulling determinedly, she made it clear she wasn't going to back off, so he grudging let her help him into a sitting position.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bossy wench?" he grumbled, trying to not clutch his shredded abdominal muscles or whimper pathetically.

She chuckled. "Only once or twice." Muttering a few epithets for appearance's sake, he allowed her to assist him to his feet; once upright, he swayed dangerously as black spots pirouetted through his vision and he only put up token resistance when she ducked under his arm. "Nice and easy," Kagome murmured, and they slowly made their way back towards the fence, leaving behind a sword draped in ragged scraps of ash-streaked fabric.

During one of their frequent stops for Sha to catch his breath while pretending not to, he abruptly asked, "How did you manage to survive being fried?"

Kagome gave him a puzzled look. "Your jacket, I assume. I curled up on the ground and pulled it tight around me; it seemed to filter the heat and gases so that I could breathe. It was scorching hot, but only for a short while."

He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. "The leather is dragon and the lining is woven from fire-rat fur; it's stronger than any armour."

"Dragon? Really? _Cool!_" she exclaimed, then curiously asked, "Um… what does a fire-rat look like?"

"Like a regular rat… but Akita-sized… would rather bite you than look at you… makes shearing them a real challenge."

"They're sheared… like sheep?" He nodded just before coughing up a quantity of bright red fluid; as he wiped off his hand on his ruined shirt, Kagome worriedly probed the bubbling wound. "I think you have a perforated lung…"

"No shit? Only one?" Sha grated, hating the fact that he had to heavily lean on her to keep his balance. _If another opponent showed up right now, we'd both be fucking toast!_ However, they made it to the fence without further incident; Kagome temporarily shucked his jacket and her quiver to slide between the crossbars while he clung to one of the posts, trying to make it look like he was holding it up and not the other way around. Bending double to repeat her manoeuvre was easy; straightening afterwards was not. "_Goddamnmotherfuckingsonofamotherfuckingbitch!_"

Kagome ignored both his language and his obvious frustration to quickly draw his arm back over her shoulders. As she urged him forward, he would've jerked away with a snarl if he could… but the truth was that if she let go, he'd fall over. _Fucking __useless__… some fucking-ass protector I am!_

"It's all right… I'm here…" she murmured, probably intending to be reassuring.

"What fucking good is _that_?" he demanded petulantly, fighting down the urge to vomit and losing quite spectacularly. He ended up practically clinging to her, gasping helplessly against her shoulder while cold sweat thoroughly chilled his battered body. "A helpless human and a useless hanyou… aren't _we_ a fucking perfect pair?"

"Didn't you say that we're in this together?" she said calmly, producing a tissue and carefully wiping his mouth.

"Right up to our fucking necks," he muttered, swaying badly. Reluctantly permitting her touch, he was afraid to admit how comforting it felt to be fussed over.

Kagome shoved the tissue into her pocket and wrapped her arm firmly around his waist. "We're almost there… do you want to call someone?"

He considered phoning his brother and almost instantly decided against it to spare himself the derision for coming to such a pass. "No. I just need to sit somewhere quiet and I'll be as good as new in no time." Kagome's arched eyebrow conveyed her scepticism, but she said nothing as they wobbled across the courtyard to the house. Taking much of his weight, she eased him down to sitting and made sure he was propped securely against the wall, then covered him with his jacket.

"I'll be back in a minute; don't you _dare_ take off, Mr. Nishiki!" she admonished before disappearing around the corner; he heard the foyer door clatter open.

Leaning his head back against the siding, he allowed himself to acknowledge the pain with a deep groan… now that he didn't have an audience. _This is just fucking __wonderful__._ Turning his head, he stared longingly at his motorcycle, the last rays of pale afternoon light catching and gilding the distinctive floral crest on the gas tank. Attempting to tighten his slashed abdominal muscles, he admitted defeat. _There's no fucking way I can ride in this condition… dammit!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

With the medical case in her hands, Kagome made it as far as the foyer door before she was busted. "Is something wrong, dear?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she poked her head out of Grandpa's room.

Hiding the case behind her back and thankful that she'd remembered to check her clothing for difficult-to-explain stains as well as wash her hands, Kagome continued edging towards the door as she answered, "Um, Mr. Nishiki had a little mishap…"

"Oh! What happened? You didn't… shoot him with an arrow, did you?"

"Mo-_ther_!" she protested, then lowered her voice. "He, er, threw up all over himself." _That's not entirely untrue… he __did__ vomit!_

"My goodness! He must have caught the same virus that you had! Bring him inside and I'll make up a futon for him in the _tatami_ room," Mrs. Higurashi declared in a tone that combined motherly concern with don't-argue-with-me firmness.

"I, er, have to help him clean up first…"

"The poor dear; I'll bring a bucket of hot water and some towels… be right back!" As her mother bustled off, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief and shot outside with the medical case. Sha was where she left him, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched; he cracked an eye when she set down the case.

"Back in a sec," she assured, flashing him a smile before darting back around the corner.

Inside, she took custody of a bucket with a sponge floating amongst the steam and an armload of towels. "Does Mr. Nishiki need a change of clothes?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.

Kagome floundered for a moment until her eye fell on the bag tucked next to the shoe rack. "Pass me that bag; lucky he returned my sweatshirt today!" As her mother looped the plastic handles over her fingers, Kagome added, "Um… please don't come out to help, Mom. He's really embarrassed."

"Of course, but don't let him leave; he's obviously in no condition to be dashing about on that motorcycle."

"I won't… I'd, um, better get on with it…" She dawdled until she was sure that her mother was on her way towards the storage closet before heading outside. Dropping off her load next to Sha, she nipped back around the corner to firmly close the outer door. _It'll give us a second or two to spare if she does decide to come outside anyhow._

Her patient looked quite pale in contrast to his usual healthy hue, his eyes squeezed tightly shut; considering how best to proceed while damping down on her nerves, Kagome briskly clapped her hands. "All right, let's clean you up and bandage your wounds."

"I just need a couple of hours…" he feebly protested.

"A couple of _days_, more like," she retorted, removing his jacket and setting to work. Cutting away his blood-soaked t-shirt, she again was amazed by his incredible rate of healing; the criss-crossing marks caused by Yura's hair were almost invisible. With a towel in one hand and the wet sponge in the other, she carefully cleaned his chest. While she worked, her attention was once again drawn to the unusual necklace Sha wore. _I suppose he thinks that __magatama__ makes him look tough. Well, he __is__ pretty tough, come to think of it._ The sword perforations were one thing, but where Yura had tried to turn his internals into mincemeat was something else. Kagome swallowed hard as she looked him over. _I guess that this is good practice for when I'm doing my residency. Nothing for it; had better wash these out with saline, then stitch up what I can, and tape some gauze pads over everything_. _Don't care how fast he heals… he can't walk around oozing blood if Mom's set on keeping him here for the next few hours._

"I'll be fucking okay, _dammit_," Sha roused himself enough to mumble half-heartedly when she squirted saline into the wound on his abdomen. Kagome ignored him and continued patching him up, even coercing him into leaning forward so that she could work on his back. Finishing up with a couple rolls of gauze wrapped securely around his middle to keep everything in place, she allowed him to sit back while she cleaned the blood off his arms and hands. Tucking the jacket around the rest of him, she briefly soaked his bloodied hand in the bucket while wiping off his arm, startling a little when Sha slurred, "Howd'ya know you're safe with me?"

She continued her work as she considered her reply. "I figure that if you were after the Jewel, you'd have taken advantage of Mistress Centipede's attack." He snorted weakly, but his body remained relaxed under her touch as she carefully dried his hand… and discovered the existence of invisible claws tipping his long fingers. _That explains how he was able to take chunks out of Mistress Centipede and cut the hair holding Grandpa._ Conscious of slight tremors wracking his frame, she tucked his bare arm and hand back under his jacket and moved both the bucket and herself to reach his other arm. Quickly sponging him down, she asked, "You called yourself a hanyou… what are you half of?"

"C-can't f-figure it out from m-my n-name?" he wheezed as the tremors became full-fledged shivers.

Moving quickly because he appeared to be going into shock, Kagome turned his hint over in her mind. "You're half dog-youkai?" she finally ventured. He might have nodded… or slumped, she wasn't quite sure… so she figured it was time to conceal the bandages and move him into the house. Extracting the bright yellow sweatshirt from the bag, she gathered the material prior to centring the neckband on the top of his head and carefully stretching the ribbed edging as she pulled downward.

"_Owww_… dammit, girl, watch the ears!" came a testy growl from beneath the fabric. Kagome gently ran her fingers over his head, intending to ease the neckline away from his obviously tender appendages… until she encountered something in the wrong place, something thick, velvety and invisible that flattened irritably under her touch. Intrigued, she gently probed until she located a madly-flickering triangle; when Sha drew in a sharp breath, she assumed that he intended to protest, so she left off searching for the second canine ear and settled the garment around his neck. He dredged up a narrow look, which she ignored in favour of guiding his arms into the sleeves.

"I'm not a fucking invalid," he grumped as she smoothed the sweatshirt down over his bandaged torso and tugged his hair out of the neckline, but he didn't attempt to take over dressing himself. Kagome cleaned up the medical case, then stuffed the packaging and the remains of his bloodied t-shirt into the plastic bag. Hiding the case under the towels and the bag under his jacket, she took the bucket of pink-stained water across the courtyard and sluiced away the bloody vomit. Jogging back to his side, Kagome briefly detoured to retrieve the spade wielded by her grandfather, then dropped both it and the bucket next to her reluctant patient.

"Mom's set up a futon for you, so let's go before she comes looking for us," she said as she again pulled his arm across her shoulders. Sha muttered something but complied, the pained grimace on his face saying it all. They awkwardly made their way around the corner of the house to the door. Kagome shoved the panel open and guided him inside, but not before she tugged down the sweatshirt to cover the stained waistband of his jeans. While supporting most of his weight as he fumbled out of his boots, she noticed the fine sheen of sweat covering his face.

"I gotta puke," he mumbled.

"Not in here, you don't," she hastily ordered. "The toilet's only ten feet away, so hold it in!" Expert manoeuvring borne of desperation brought them to their goal just in time. Sha fell to his knees, retching helplessly as the water in the bowl turned crimson. Kagome locked the door and held his hair out of the way as he repeatedly heaved, rubbing his shoulders and flushing away the evidence every so often.

"Kagome? How is Mr. Nishiki doing?" Mrs. Higurashi called through the panel.

"Not very good, Mom. Is the futon ready?" the young woman answered, ignoring Sha's plaintive noise of protest.

"Yes; do you need help in putting him to bed?"

Kagome eyed the blood clots floating in the toilet bowl. "No. I can manage, but thanks anyways." Using a wad of toilet paper, she carefully wiped Sha's lips, since he was hanging onto the sides of the bowl for dear life. "Let me know when you feel well enough to move," she whispered.

"Water," he croaked. "Need to rinse my mouth." Dropping the wad of paper into the bowl and adding the tissues stashed in her pocket, Kagome turned to fill her grandfather's denture glass at the sink, then steadied Sha's grip while he gargled and spat several times. Rinsing and replacing the glass on the shelf under the mirror, she waited until he nodded. "Okay… think I can handle it now."

Flushing the toilet one last time, she assisted him to his feet. Sha swayed dangerously, but Kagome managed to move him out of the room, down the hall and into the _tatami_ room, where a futon had been laid out in the corner next to the wall niche. He considered protesting on principle, but instead simply admitted that lying down was a better idea than stubbornly remaining vertical and then doing a face-plant in front of her mother. Kagome helped him to kneel, and then he simply rolled onto the mattress.

Sweeping his hair aside, she tucked a pillow under his head and draped a blanket over him. "Jeans off; I'll wash them so the blood doesn't stain." With several oaths and mumbled complaints, he squirmed free of the close-fitting denim; she quickly rolled them into a ball with the waistband on the inside. "I'll watch over you," she promised; Sha's eyes slid shut before he could muster a retort.

Mrs. Higurashi tip-toed into the room as Kagome stood up. "Help me move the privacy screens into place," she requested, and in short order, the sleeping man's futon was enclosed on three sides by hanging panels of gaily patterned fabric. The two women slipped out into the kitchen, closing the shoji behind them.

"I need to finish cleaning up outside… how's Grandpa?"

"Sleeping, like your Mr. Nishiki. I'll make us some tea; too much excitement for one day!" Mrs. Higurashi declared.

_You have no idea, Mom!_ Kagome stifled a mad urge to giggle, instead excusing herself to stuff Sha's stained jeans into the washing machine and then escaping outside. _I can smuggle the medical case under the towels… but what about his shirt?_ Biting her lip, she glanced around until her eye fell on the storage shed. _Perfect! _ Extracting the bag from under Sha's jacket, she compacted it as much as possible while crossing the courtyard, then straightened the paint can she'd knocked over earlier and stuffed the rustling plastic down behind it. _I'll use the excuse of putting away the archery butt to hide it in the trash can down by the bus stop._ Running back for the spade, she replaced it on its hanger, then closed the shed. Briefly detouring to make sure all traces of blood were indeed gone from the pavement, she loped back towards the house.

Shaking out Sha's jacket, Kagome inspected the garment for blood stains and was rather surprised when she discovered absolutely none on either the exterior nor on the bright red lining. _That's bizarre!_ Then she noticed a slight depression in the heavy leather on one shoulder, and clearly remembered a centipede-youkai's fang piercing the hanyou's body. _Does his clothing repair and clean itself? Cool!_ A tiny enamelled pin fastened to the collar lining caught her attention; peering closely, she made out a dark blue hexagonal crest featuring a white flower with six petals. _Wonder what this represents? _ Using the jacket to conceal the pink-stained towels and the medical case, she scooped the whole works under one arm, then hefted the bucket and sponge in the other hand. Lugging the entire load into the house, she had another piece of luck when she discovered that her mother had gone down the hall to check on Grandpa. Quickly replacing the medical kit under the sink, she then loaded the stained towels into the washing machine on top of Sha's jeans. Setting it to sloshing, she pretended to sponge down Sha's jacket for her mother's benefit. _Dragon hide and fire-rat fur, huh? Neat; I wonder what other cool stuff he has?_

Taking the garment with her, Kagome slipped through the shoji to place it on the foot of the futon just inside the hanging screens surrounding Sha's makeshift bed. She watched the even rise and fall of his chest for a few moments before admiring his sleep-softened face. _He lost __so__ much blood; his physiology is __amazing__. There's a thesis in there somewhere…_ Retreating from the _tatami _room back into the kitchen, she pulled the tea pot and canister out of the cupboard.

Mrs. Higurashi rejoined her daughter just as the steam began to wisp out of the kettle. As she retrieved cups from the cupboard, she commented, "It's strange, but I feel like I know Mr. Nishiki from somewhere."

"Maybe because he's been hanging around the shrine so much lately?" Kagome suggested, eyeing the covered plate of _botamochi_ on the counter.

"Possibly," she acknowledged, then followed her daughter's glance. "Uh-uh, young lady. Sota gets first dibs on those; he's always starving after kenjutsu practice." Kagome tucked her hands in her pockets to avoid temptation and moved to sit at the kitchen table. "I'm going to make Grandpa some _ochazuke_… do you think Mr. Nishiki might care for a bowl?"

Kagome thought about the way Sha's abdomen had resembled raw chopped beef, not to mention his bloody vomit and quickly said, "We'll have to wait until he wakes up; his stomach's kinda tender, I think."

"Hmmm… maybe just a bowl of _dashi_, then…"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sota cleared the last step and leaned against the red support pillar of the _torii_ gate, sucking air into his lungs. _Argh. You'd think after a few months of running up and down these stairs, I'd be in better shape!_ The lanky teen blew out his cheeks and pushed off, adjusting the criss-crossing straps of his satchel and gear bag. _I'll cut myself some slack for the extra weight._ While crossing the courtyard in the gathering dusk, he noticed a familiar motorcycle and grinned. _Mr. Nishiki's setting himself up for 'the talk' with Gramps; better make sure that Sis has warned him!_ Chuckling, Sota continued for several more steps until he glimpsed several gardening implements scattered across the ground not far from the motorcycle. _That's not like Gramps to leave his stuff lying around._ Scooping up the broom and trowels, he headed off towards the storage shed behind the house, only to come up short. _Crap… something must have happened! Sis never leaves her archery equipment out… not with her arrows still in it!_

Moving with a sense of urgency, Sota pulled open the doors of the shed and hastily stacked the gardening tools inside before retrieving the archery butt. Removing Kagome's arrows next to the shed, he wrestled the straw-filled drum into the building, quickly followed by its stand. As he closed the shed, his eye was caught by a flash of bright white. Frowning, he identified the handle of a plastic shopping bag flopping like a rabbit's ear in the evening breeze. Snagging the bobbing film, he peered inside… and froze. _Holy gods… what the hell?_ Gingerly extracting the blood-soaked, shredded fabric, he tentatively identified it as a t-shirt, and the label pointed at the young antiques dealer as the garment's owner. Sota tried to puzzle out a scenario that ended with Sha Nishiki's bloodied clothing hidden in the storage shed that _didn't_ involve someone in his family facing a murder charge and completely failed. Balling up the t-shirt in its bag, he shoved it inside his coat and closed the shed, then scooped the loose arrows and headed for the house.

Inside, he'd barely removed his shoes when his mother arrived in the inner doorway. "Welcome home, Sota; may I take your satchel?" As he handed over the leather bag full of books, she added, "Grandpa is ill and so is Mr. Nishiki, so try to be quiet. Come into the kitchen when you've changed out of your uniform."

"Sure, Mom," he replied, even more curious about the story behind the stray clothing hidden inside his coat. Peeking into his grandfather's bedroom on the way down the hall to his room, he was relieved to see the old man snoring peacefully, a tray containing a covered soup bowl and a tea cup next to his futon hinting at Mrs. Higurashi's nursing efforts. Shedding his gear bag and coat inside his room, he hid the plastic bag inside the top drawer of his bureau and changed out of his school uniform. _I'll check out the lay of the land before I start asking questions; there's more to this than meets the eye._ Joining his mother and sister in the kitchen, he handed over Kagome's arrows. "I put away your target, too," he said, keenly noting her reaction, which verged on dismayed.

"Oh! Thanks, Sota. I, er, forgot about it in all the, um, excitement," she replied, and darted out of the room, presumably returning them to her quiver.

He happily munched through most of the plate of _botamochi_ and downed three cups of tea, but allowed Kagome to have the last _kurogoma_-coated treat. All the while he watched both women for clues as to what may have transpired, but all he got out of his mother was that both Grandpa and Mr. Nishiki appeared to have been struck down by the same virus that had previously laid low his sister. _Mom is completely clueless about any blood being spilled, so that leaves Sis; she's letting Mom do all the talking… which is pretty suspicious!_ "Were there any _unusual _symptoms?" he finally asked, directing his question at Kagome.

"Er…what?"

"C'mon, Dr. Higurashi… could their symptoms be considered normal?" .

"N-normal?" she finally squeaked. "Aside from the vomiting and fainting?"

"So, no spitting blood or anything like that?" he blandly queried, amused by her deer-in-the-headlights expression.

"Oh, Sota! How can you suggest such a horrid thing?" Mrs. Higurashi protested. "It's a regular garden-variety stomach upset; you know how quickly Kagome recovered from it." She paused, giving the teen an appraising once-over. "In fact, you'd better take care, because you and I are probably next in line to come down with it. Let me know if you start feeling poorly."

He nodded as he shot a sharp glance at his sister, who was fairly worrying the buttons off her cuff as she stared into her teacup. _You're off the hook for now, Sis, but we're having a chat before this night is over. _ At that moment, Buyo began winding herself around his ankles, mewing loudly for attention, so he allowed himself to be distracted in favour of rubbing the cat's furry tummy while the dinner menu was discussed.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha slowly surfaced from the first deep, restful sleep he'd had in a very, very long time. His subconscious had kept track of the Higurashi household… he hoped… but the rest of his brain had completely shut down. _Probably due to blood loss._ Breathing deeply, he detected not only the distinctive scents of the various Higurashi family members, but also the aromas of steamed rice, stir-fried vegetables, grilled fish and black tea; when his stomach didn't growl in response, he decided that his healing wasn't quite complete. Opening his eyes to the dim light of an electric torch, Sha guessed that the food smells were several hours old, as it appeared to be the middle of the night. _Shit. I've been out for fucking __hours__! Who knows what else might have shown up?_ Inhaling again to search for danger, this time he noticed a delicate scent, so familiar that he had ignored it the first time. _This girl and her talent for sneaking under my defences…_

At that same moment, the owner of the scent sighed deeply, and a weight came to rest on his hip. He held very still while Kagome made herself comfortable; after she ceased moving around, he cautiously raised his head. Kagome was asleep, half-on and half-off his futon, dressed in her pink kitten pyjamas with a dozen arrows bristling from the quiver strapped to her shoulder. A crooked smile crossed Sha's lips as he bunched the pillow under his head to maintain his view of the young woman. As he studied her sleeping countenance, he indulged himself by gently feathering her bangs away from her face, the soft tresses cool between his fingers. _So alike, and yet so completely different; why did the gods give you a dead woman's face, Kagome Higurashi?_

He tenderly swept his thumb across her cheek; she sighed and nuzzled into his palm, a small smile on her lips. Sha's chest became painfully tight. _She carries Kikyo's soul; Kikyo, who died because she loved me…._ "I'll protect you, Kagome," he whispered, then snatched his hand back as the red-faced young woman abruptly sat up, her dark hair tumbling attractively over her shoulders.

"I, er, don't know what happened; one minute I was staring at the hanging screens and the next…" she admitted, clearly flustered.

"It's fine, Miss Higurashi," he soothed.

There was a brief, awkward moment of silence before Kagome asked, "Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"I don't think my internals have healed enough for that," Sha replied and she nodded. As she fiddled with her bow, he noted that she wore fuzzy pink slippers to go with the pyjamas. "I'd like to sit up, though; a change in position would be appreciated."

"I'll grab some pillows," she quickly agreed and disappeared outside the screens, returning in a few moments with an armload of floor cushions. Since he was already close to the wall, it was relatively easy to push himself up on his elbows while Kagome stuffed the cushions in behind to support his back… after she checked him for 'leaks', that is. His abdominals complained, but that was a good sign because it meant they were knitting back together.

Kagome cocked her head, inspecting him carefully. "I thought I was seeing things earlier, before Yura showed up… but when I saw her sword and then _her_, I realized…"

"What did you see?"

Her hand described elegant arcs. "You kinda… glow."

"That's my _youki_; anyone with youkai blood emanates their power in a visible way."

"Seriously? Do different types of youkai have different colours?"

"Colours…?"

She smiled impishly and answered his unspoken question. "Your _youki_ is pale red right now; when you were fighting Yura, it was bright scarlet. Her sword had a really deep brownish-red tone, and her _youki_ was so dark it was almost black."

"Dark energy like that is called _jyaki_; you ever see anyone with that shade, get the hell out of range as fast as you can!" Shifting into a more comfortable position, he quietly asked, "Do you want to see what I really look like?" Kagome's eyes grew wide and she nodded rapidly; Sha slid his finger under the neckline of the yellow sweatshirt and pulled out his necklace. "This anchors my concealment spell. Can you reach the clasp for me? It's one of those slide-knot jobs, and if I try to loosen it, you'll probably have to patch me up again." The young woman set her bow aside and fearlessly reached… then blushed furiously when she realized that she practically had to wrap her arms around his neck to accomplish her goal.

"Not very easy to remove," she muttered, working the thick leather cord through her fingertips and trying not to put any weight on his shoulders in order to keep her balance.

"It isn't _supposed_ to come off," he pointed out. To prevent her from falling into his lap when she wobbled, he circled her waist with his hands. Expecting to grip soft flannel, instead his fingers found warm skin above her pyjama bottoms. She shivered lightly, but her scent remained free of fear, even when he knew she must be able to feel his claws lightly pressing against her skin. "Are you all right with this?"

"Uh-huh," Kagome replied, resolutely ignoring the way her stomach filled with butterflies just from Sha's proximity, never mind his touch. "Just a little more… there." Lightly tugging on the fang-like _magatama_ to make sure the cord was fully extended, she let it drop onto the centre of his chest and sat back on her heels.

However, he didn't release his hold. "Over the head," he directed. "Just watch the ears."

"Er, right." Stretching upwards, highly conscious of the strong hands supporting her, Kagome lifted the necklace over Sha's head and down the length of his hair as he sat forward slightly to accommodate her.

Reluctantly dropping his hands, he heard her sharp intake of breath, which he expected, but the change in her scent took him off-guard; unless his nose badly misled him, Kagome found his true form _extremely_ appealing. Peering through his lashes, he couldn't help but snicker at the rapt expression on her face as she followed the rapid movements of his canine ears. _What is it with human girls and my ears, anyways? Rin was fascinated too. _ The sound brought her attention down to his face, and she met his now-amber gaze without flinching… plus a mischievous twinkle.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I have to agree with Yura; I prefer your natural colouring," she grinned. Sha shook his head in mock-disgust and she giggled, frankly admiring the thick silver mane flowing over his shoulders and pooling on the bedding before her gaze again strayed to the top of his head. "My mom thought that you were handsome before, but she'd _adore_ your ears!" Her fingers fairly itched to touch those appealing velvety appendages, but instead she folded her hands in her lap and just looked. "Your _youki_ is now bright red; I guess your concealment spell changes the intensity of the colour," she commented.

Sha kept track of her impressions through her ever-shifting scent, but he didn't really have to rely on his sense of smell; her face was an honest reflection of her lively interest. He was enjoying being the centre of her attention so much, that he almost missed the way the hanging panels rippled and a scent that had been in the background suddenly asserted itself.

"Youkai blood explains why I wasn't asked to hide the body," Sota said calmly as he stepped inside the hanging screens, a white plastic bag dangling from his fingertips.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N:**_ Hijin Kessou_ = Blades of Blood; Inuyasha's secondary claw-strike utilizing his own blood as a weapon.

Tanabata – one of the major summer festivals of Japan, which features lanterns, wishes, food and fun.

Magatama – the comma-shaped white beads on Canon!Inuyasha's rosary that resemble fangs. The shape references the sacred Imperial Jewel that mystically links the Imperial family to the gods of Japan (along with a sword and a mirror)

_Ochazuke_ – comfort food, Japanese style. Hot black tea is mixed with a little _dashi _(bonito stock) and poured over a bowl of leftover rice, which is then topped with shredded chicken/smoked eel/salmon/tuna, etc. and sprinkled with _furikake _(rice seasonings).


	5. Seal of Approval

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **I am thrilled to report that _The Price_ has been nominated into the 1st Quarter 2009 voting process at the IYFG! Thank you so very much for your support of the fic!

**Bouquets to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose **who go out of their way to make the damn bunnies' drunken ideas _work_**.**

**Special mention** must go to the talented PurpleRebecca, who is utilizing the multiple-reincarnation plot device to considerable effect in her Sess/Rin _doujinshi_ titled 'Dogwood Blossoms' which is available on DeviantArt. Thanks for the inspiration!

University and college campuses the world over are surrounded by cheap 'n cheerful student pubs offering beer, snacks and camaraderie, and Japan is no exception. Thanks to Sharibet for sharing her experiences of dining in an _izakaya!_

**Warnings: **Coarse language and rampant WAFF.

**The Price**

**Chapter Five: Seal of Approval**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome spun around, amusing Sha by protectively screening him from the interloper when it was already too late. For his part, Sota gave her an old look and moved aside the leather jacket, then proceeded to make himself comfortable on the foot of the futon. Impatiently flapping his hand, he said, "Out of the way, Sis. I'm only gonna _look_ at him, I promise."

"I must be losing my touch; didn't fucking smell you _or_ hear you," Sha grumbled.

"I've been in the room the entire time," Sota replied. "_Someone_ has to keep an eye on my sister, since she's decided that having slumber parties with strange men is acceptable."

Kagome gave her smirking brother a look that would have shrivelled a lesser life form as she shifted out of the way. At that moment, Buyo appeared in the opening between the screens and hopped onto the futon next to Sota. Briefly surveying the situation, she walked over Sha's legs and sauntered up the bedding until she curled next to his hip and began purring loudly. Sota watched the feline's non-verbal declaration of support and asked, "So, are you a cat-youkai, and that's why Buyo accepts you? One kitty to another?"

Kagome choked. "He's half _dog_-youkai… whatever made you think he's a _cat_?"

"The ears… and the claws. Hey, are those _fangs_? Awesome!"

Sha wasn't quite sure what to think while the siblings exclaimed over the physical attributes that set him apart from them as well as other youkai. _What __is__ it with these people? No fear at all!_ He came back to attention when Kagome fidgeted. _Here come the difficult questions…_

"Um, if you're a dog-hanyou… what's your other half?" she softly asked, her fingers knitting together.

His memories helpfully conjured an image of his long-deceased mother, but instead of the Lady Izayoi's knee-length dark tresses, the figure incongruously wore Mrs. Higurashi's cropped hairstyle. _The smile is the same, though._ "My lady mother was a human princess of Setsuna," Sha answered.

The siblings nodded sagely, and then a small light bulb seemed to go off in Kagome's head. "W-wait… y-you… are you… _that_ Inuyasha?"

"_The_ Inuyasha? Are you kidding me? He'd have to be, like, totally _ancient_!" Sota scoffed, expectantly waiting for Sha to back him up.

"I was born during the late Heian era; I'm either 826 or 573 years old, if you don't count the centuries I spent sealed to the Goshinboku," Sha replied matter-of-factly, enjoying the way their jaws dropped.

While Kagome gaped, Sota exclaimed, "_Cool!_ Are all youkai so long-lived?"

"My father was almost six thousand years old when he died." As he spoke, Sha noticed Kagome had gone very quiet; her brow was furrowed and her scent was an interesting mix of emotions.

"_Now_ I know why you're interested in the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga," Sota said sharply.

Sha abandoned his attempt to parse Kagome's scent and stuck to the matter at hand. "The Tetsusaiga was a bequest from my father."

"Can it really wipe out one hundred lives with a single strike?"

"How do you know that, Sota?" Kagome interrupted.

"You're not the only one who's read Great-Grandpa's papers," he sniffed.

"One hundred _youkai_ lives," Sha quietly interjected. "I can use it to protect Miss Higurashi."

Sota blinked. "Why does Sis need protection?" he asked.

"She's the reincarnation of the Shikon miko that I knew, and the Shikon-no-Tama is inside her body," Sha stated with authority, then was somewhat disconcerted by the shocked looks directed his way by both siblings.

"Reincarnation…?"

"_Inside_ her?"

Deciding that Sota's query was easier to deal with, Sha nudged the young woman. "Show him, Miss Higurashi." Casually dropping a steadying hand onto Buyo's back, he soothingly rubbed the cat-youkai's narrow shoulder blades. She lightly nipped his fingertips for his presumption even as she hunkered down and used his body as a shield. Kagome visibly collected herself and reached for an arrow, but Sha instead suggested, "In your hand, like when you rescued your cat from Yura's hair."

"Yura?" Sota interjected.

"The reason why my t-shirt's in that bag," Sha answered, closely watching Kagome. Her scent radiated anxiety as she clenched and unclenched her fist. Finally, pink energy began to glow, first on her fingertips and then her entire hand lit up.

Sota was suitably impressed. "Way cool, Sis!" he exclaimed, but then sobered. "If even half the stories about the Shikon-no-Tama's powers are true, then we're in for trouble. I take it this 'Yura' was after the Jewel?"

"Yeah, but first there was a centipede-youkai, which is why your sister 'fell ill' a few days ago."

"Crap. Hey, why don't _you_ want the Jewel, Mr. Nishiki? I mean, our Setsubun traditions re-enact what happened the last time you tried to steal it."

Sha flinched. "All I want is my _sword_. If you've paid attention to your shrine's unofficial histories, a fucker named Naraku set us up to kill each other so _he_ could grab the Jewel."

"That's true… but you're _sure_ that Sis is the Shikon miko's reincarnation?"

"Kikyo… her name was Kikyo." Not completely oblivious to the way Kagome's body went rigid at the mention of her predecessor's name, Sha paused for a moment before continuing, "Miss Higurashi could be Kikyo's twin sister in terms of her appearance, and she's her equal with the bow."

"Really?" Sota asked sceptically.

"Really… but otherwise, she's _nothing_ like Kikyo."

Kagome shot to her feet, Sha's concealment anchor plopping onto the blanket. "I have a full day of classes tomorrow, so I should really get to bed." Bobbing a formal bow to the startled hanyou, she picked up her bow and stepped over Sota's legs. "Can you dispose of that bag in a public trash can on your way to school tomorrow?"

"Wait… you've been attending classes since all this started?" Sha demanded. "Are you fucking _nuts_?"

"I have exams coming up and I can't afford to miss any labs or lectures!" she protested, her cheeks turning red and looking anywhere but at him.

"You're running a huge risk, Miss Higurashi; what if one of your classmates is a youkai who's planning to make a move on the Jewel?"

"I'll manage… somehow," she replied, edging towards the opening between the hanging screens.

"What if they're humans? It isn't just youkai that will be interested in the Jewel," the hanyou pointed out, confused by the unhappiness palpably swirling around the young woman.

She pasted on a very bright, very fake smile. "I'll be fine, okay? Good night." As Kagome bolted out of the enclosed space, Buyo shot Sha a worried glance and chased after her.

When the shoji on the other side of the hanging screens slid shut, Sha gave Sota a puzzled look. "Was it something I said?"

The teen shrugged. "Hell if I know; women are confusing at the best of times… and then there's my sister."

"She can't just run around loose… dammit, I need to be healed and I need my sword!"

"If you get the Tetsusaiga back, how do we know you'll hang around?" Sota shrewdly asked.

"I have a score to settle with Naraku for Kikyo's death and my sealing. If someone else hasn't killed him already, he'll come sniffing around for the Jewel sooner or later. All I have to do is wait…."

"Sis is the _bait_?" Sota yelped.

"Er… I suppose you could look at it that way," Sha hedged.

Sota sat back, crossing his arms on his chest, his eyes very sharp. "Okay… tell me about this 'Yura' and anything I should know before something else happens that might be hard to explain to the authorities… or the rest of the family." Sha gave the teen a rapid recap of recent events and the potential threats facing Kagome, grinning at Sota's wide-eyed reaction, but he was really impressed when the youth switched into enthusiastic planning mode. "I can skip last block tomorrow… get the notes from Kenji… then we'll start with the last known location of the Tetsusaiga and go from there. Gramps will be at his weekly _shogi_ game, so we won't have to worry about him."

"Last known location?"

Sota wrinkled his nose. "Gramps has this odd notion that the stuff in the shrine's storerooms needs to be 'aired out' once in a while, which basically means carting it from one room to the next for no apparent reason. Unlike his father, he's not exactly meticulous about keeping the records up to date, so while your sword is supposed to be on shelf 2, storeroom A, it might actually be on shelf 5, storeroom C… or maybe hidden in the bottom of the chest in his bedroom."

"Wouldn't _that _be just fucking dandy?" Sha grumbled as he dropped his necklace back over his head. He laboriously pulled his hair free of the cord, but gave up trying to tighten the strand without help. "I'll watch over your sister tomorrow since I doubt I'll be able to talk her out of attending class. She can't be left undefended, no matter what she says, because the Jewel's presence is like a giant magnet."

"Works for me," Sota nodded as he watched the hanyou revert back to a fully human appearance. "Hey, Sis has warned you about the potential for an interrogation session with Gramps, right?"

"Keh. He's welcome to make any inquiries that he wants; the House of the West has centuries of practice in deflecting the curious."

"I'll bet."

"There's an old sword out in the forest where we fought Yura this afternoon; won't be too hard to find because there's broken branches and blood all over the place. Wear a pair of gloves… under no circumstances touch the sword with your bare hands… and maybe we can substitute it for the Tetsusaiga so your grandfather doesn't realize it's missing."

"_Cool._ Um, why can't I touch it without gloves?"

"It's a youkai weapon, and you run the risk of either being blasted into next week by a shield spell or possibly possessed by it." As Sota stood up, Sha asked, "Oi… do you know where my jeans went?"

"Do you drop trou this easily with all the girls… or just my sister?"

While the hanyou spluttered, Sota chortled and disappeared. A few minutes later, a neatly folded pair of jeans was tossed between the hanging screens by a smirking teen, leaving Sha to ruminate on the easy acceptance and good humour of this remarkable family as he settled into a watchful doze.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome stared at the ceiling above her bed, one hand fretfully petting a loudly purring cat. _The giant centipede was no problem and, I kept my cool with Yura… so why is finding out I might be someone's reincarnation really eating at me? I mean, it's almost __normal__ considering everything else that's happened lately, and it probably explains why the Jewel is inside me, but…_ Rolling onto her side, she displaced Buyo, who meowed a rebuke before snuggling against her stomach. Sighing heavily, Kagome acknowledged the small worm of jealously nibbling at her heart. _I wonder if he still loves her?_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha was up before dawn; after carefully flexing a few times and checking his general well-being, he tightened the cord on his concealment anchor, pulled on his jeans and set about tidying his sleeping area. _Everything's healed up, but I'll wait to ditch the bandages… even though this medical tape is driving me crazy! Can't get rid of it here in case her mom notices, and there's too much to stuff in my pockets._ Carefully scratching under the gauze to avoid slicing it with his claws, he set his jacket aside and began cleaning up his sleeping area.

As he was folding up the futon, Mrs. Higurashi poked her head around the shoji leading into the kitchen. "Goodness, Mr. Nishiki! Have you recovered already?"

He executed a polite bow. "Good morning, Mrs. Higurashi; I feel very well, thank you. My apologies for the extra work I created," he said, indicating the futon.

"No trouble at all!" she cheerfully replied. "Will you join us for breakfast?"

On cue, his stomach rumbled. "I would be delighted."

"Very good! Sit down and I'll make some tea while the rice steams. I'm afraid I'm out of red_ miso_; all I have on hand is white."

"That's quite all right, ma'am; white_ miso_ suits me just fine." Sha rather enjoyed spending the half-hour it took to cook the rice chatting with his hostess; her welcoming manner and gentle scent made him feel completely at home. _There are some traits common to all mothers_ he mused as he sipped his tea and watched her bustle. _Of course, my lady mother had servants to do the work, but she was very much the same in the mornings._ Sota tumbled into the kitchen at that moment, his hair sticking out in all directions, his shirttails out and his school tie askew. Mrs. Higurashi fussed over the lanky teen as she set him to rights; Sha hid a grin while swallowing the lump in his throat caused by memories of Lady Izayoi doing much the same before deeming him ready to face his tutors.

Kagome arrived next, dressed more casually than her brother in token of her status as a university student; Sha surreptitiously ogled the feminine curves revealed by her soft sweater. _Gods, I __love__ modern fashions!_

She offered him a polite head-bob and a small smile as she seated herself on the other side of the table. Sota plunked himself down directly opposite Sha, and in the process of being served bowls of fragrant hot rice, _miso_ soup, grilled fish and dishes of pickles, the hanyou learned that Grandpa Higurashi was complaining of a sore neck and wouldn't be joining them. He snuck a glance at Kagome, but she was occupied with her breakfast.

"He'll have a miraculous recovery in time to play _shogi_; I can virtually guarantee it," Sota grinned. "He hasn't missed a match with Mr. Yoshida in forty years!"

There was an awkward moment when Mrs. Higurashi wondered if Sha had his t-shirt, since she hadn't seen it in the laundry. He quickly said that he had it, thank you, but still felt mildly chilled. "Is it all right if I keep this sweatshirt for another day?" His false admission led to motherly fluttering over the state of his health, which he had to bravely endure. Kagome was conspicuously silent during the entire meal, prompting Mrs. Higurashi to notice and press her hand against the young woman's forehead.

"I'm fine, Mom… just a little tired," she murmured before excusing herself from the table. Sota and Sha also took their leave, Sha thanking Mrs. Higurashi for her hospitality as Sota collected his bento and left the room.

"It's the least we could do, Mr. Nishiki. You were too kind to help Kagome the other day; you are welcome in this house any time."

"Actually, you'll see me fairly soon, ma'am. I'm driving your daughter to school and back today." Dropping his voice, he took a risk. "Your son offered to show me the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga this afternoon, while your father-in-law is at his _shogi_ game; I hope that's all right?"

"Of course!" Also lowering her voice, like they were a pair of conspirators, Mrs. Higurashi said, "I know where it is, so I can save you some time."

"How do you…?" he wondered, not quite believing it could be _that_ easy after all these centuries.

"Who do you think helps Grandfather move things around when the children are at school?" she asked with a long-suffering sigh.

"You're a treasure," he declared.

She winked and said, "Let me give you directions to Kagome's campus; she always takes the train, so may not be as familiar with the street names."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Ten minutes later, the hanyou watched with a mix of concern and amusement as Sota herded Kagome across the courtyard towards his motorcycle, followed closely by Buyo.

"I've had this thing inside me for twenty-three years and haven't had any problems so far!" Kagome objected, fussily tugging on the straps of her yellow backpack.

"It wasn't _awake_ before, Sis. You might as well have a target circle painted on your back right now."

"I'm sure Mr. Nishiki has more important things he could be doing today," she insisted.

Sota gripped her hand and squeezed. "_Please_; you're the only sister I have… and Mom would be _devastated_ if she were to lose you as well as Dad."

The young woman froze, her eyes wide, but she quickly composed herself. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, she said, "Fine. For Mom's sake, I'll go along with this… oh, heck! I'm wearing a _skirt_!"

"And this is a problem… how?" Sha asked, admiring the way Kagome's close-fitting knee boots emphasized the briefness of her skirt.

She self-consciously tugged down on the garment's hem, but before she could object, Sota said, "Just tuck it under your butt; no one can see anything from the front, so don't worry about it… you _are_ wearing underwear, right? _Lots_ of girls ride their boyfriends' motorcycles while wearing skirts; you see 'em all the time."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!" she exclaimed, equally mortified at the mention of her underwear in front of the hanyou and the insinuation that they might be considered a couple.

Sota gave her a weary look, then nodded to Sha. "See you later… and good luck," with a jerk of his head in Kagome's direction.

"Oi… your mom offered to help us look for the Tetsusaiga; she says she knows where it is."

"Awesome… that'll save us plenty of frustration wondering where Gramps hid the needle in the haystack!" Sota waved and jogged away across the courtyard towards the _torii_ gate, hitching his satchel strap higher on his shoulder.

Sha turned his attention back to Kagome, who was biting her lip as she inspected the tread pattern on his boots. "I'd give you my helmet, but it has a customized fit to allow for my ears, so we'll pick up one for you on your lunch break. Turns out that the cycle shop I patronize is only a couple of blocks away from your campus."

She gave him a narrow look. "First of all, how do you know where my school is located, and secondly, buying a helmet for one day's use seems like a waste of money."

"First, your mother gave me directions and second, it's a good investment, Miss Higurashi. I'll be part of your life for a while yet, because I'll be damned if I let anyone get their hands on the Jewel."

"Right. You'll be gone as soon as you have your sword," she muttered.

"Nope. Like I told your brother, if Naraku's still around, he'll come after the Jewel… and I _won't_ let him touch even a hair on your head." He straddled the motorcycle, fished his keys out of his pocket and fired the ignition, then reached down to flip out the steel foot pegs for his reluctant passenger. Donning his helmet, he beckoned her over. "C'mon, girl. We don't have all fucking day; put your foot on that peg, swing your leg over, and let's _go_."

"Mr. Nishiki, I really _do_ appreciate your offer, but I don't need a babysitter. I'll take the train…."

"And expose yourself to a possible youkai attack? Not on my watch." Losing patience, Sha held out his hand. "Get _on_, you stubborn wench. I promise that I won't bite."

Kagome sighed but gave in, using his proffered hand to balance herself as she awkwardly slid onto the saddle behind him. Fussily tucking her skirt into place, she primly attempted to maintain some distance between their bodies in defiance of both the angle of her seat and the force of gravity until Sha reached behind with both hands and grabbed her elbows. Ignoring Kagome's startled 'eep', he pulled her flush against his back as he wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You have to sit closer or you'll throw off my balance… and that _wouldn't_ be a good thing." As she gingerly clasped her hands over his stomach, he revved the engine and put up the kickstand. "Do your best to follow my moves, especially when we go around corners," he shouted over the motorcycle's deep-throated roar. Giving Buyo a significant look, he jerked his chin in the direction of the house, then muttered an epithet when the cat-youkai deliberately turned her back and insolently shook her hind legs as if she'd just exited a litter box before strolling towards the foyer door. Snapping down his visor as he rolled backwards to avoid the Higurashi's car, Sha sent the machine accelerating towards the exit gate.

His passenger was as stiff as a board for the first few blocks, especially when cornering, but she finally relaxed enough to make it easier on both of them. However, Sha doubted that Kagome was really enjoying herself because he discovered that she was literally white-knuckling it when he happened to glance down at her hands while idling at a stop light. Prying her fingers apart, Sha shoved her hands into his pockets and held them there in case of objection. _She's shivering; by now it's with cold and not nerves. Better pick up a jacket for her at the same time as the helmet; should phone ahead so we don't have to hang around the shop all afternoon._ When her fingertips curled into the fire-rat lining of his pockets, he released her wrists and patted her hands. "All right, Miss Higurashi?"

"Fine," came the faint reply, "except for the hair-whiplash."

"Eh?"

"Do you mind if I move it?"

"Uh… sure. Whatever." He stabilized the bike while she swept his hair out from between them and flipped it over her shoulder. She ended up half-hidden beneath the thick mass and pressed snugly up against his back; even through the thick layers of fire-rat and dragon hide, Sha was highly aware of her curves. Scowling at the car ahead of them, he tried to ignore the way she was intimately… and innocently… wrapped around him. _Keep your mind on the traffic and out of the gutter, hanyou. You still don't know what upset her last night_.

Several blocks and one high-speed short-cut later, they pulled up in front of the high-rise campus of the medical college. Despite her earlier reluctance, Kagome made no attempt to distance herself even when the bike stopped moving. Turning off the engine and putting down the kickstand, he pulled off his helmet and shifted to look over his shoulder at his clinging passenger. "We're here."

"I think my knees have locked," she confessed sheepishly.

He couldn't help a chuckle. "I won't let you fall… but first you have to let go."

Kagome's cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink as her arms loosened. Sha dismounted and simply lifted her clear of the seat, then set her carefully on her feet, mindful of the heavy backpack. Loosely encircling her in his arms, he couldn't miss the way that her scent changed, apparently just from his proximity. Allowing himself to enjoy the moment, he encouraged her to lean against his chest while she tested her balance. "My legs feel like jelly," she muttered.

"That's normal for your first time," he replied, filling his lungs with her gentle fragrance.

Kagome was somewhat perturbed by her body's response to Sha's embrace. _I barely know him, but he makes me feel..._ She looked up and found herself almost nose-to-nose with the hanyou; Sha's dark, heavy-lidded gaze made her knees go weak, but a niggling little voice made itself heard. _Does he see me or __her__?_ Straightening up, Kagome stepped away from Sha, who reluctantly released her. Checking her watch, she said, "Gotta go… um, thanks for the ride."

"Lead the way."

She stared at him. "You're _not _planning on attending my classes… are you?"

"Whatever it takes to keep you safe," he answered, switching his helmet to the other hand. Taking hold of her elbow, he ushered her towards the building's lobby. "Which floor?"

"You're not _serious_? You'll be bored out of your mind!" Kagome protested, too stunned to struggle.

Sha pulled her around to face him. "Let me make myself perfectly _fucking_ clear, Miss Higurashi; I'm _deadly_ serious when it comes to your safety. I promised to protect you, and I _will_." The blazing intensity of his glare made anything else she planned to say fly out of her head, so Kagome just nodded dumbly and he briskly escorted her into the lobby. At the elevator banks, they crowded into the first available car along with a chattering throng; Kagome noticed the admiring glances being directed Sha's way. She then surprised herself by experiencing a few pangs of jealousy… until she became aware of something else far more disquieting.

"What's the matter?" he murmured, his voice deep and intimate… and close enough to her ear to raise goose-bumps.

Looking carefully around the car's occupants despite Sha's distraction, she whispered back, "Tell you when we're off this thing." When the doors finally slid closed behind them on her floor, she allowed her escort to pull her to the side while she scanned the crowded hallway. "I never realized how many people of youkai blood there are in my program…."

"Now you can see their _youki,_ right? Quite a few of 'em are hanyou of various percentages, including… oh, hell, _no_." Grinding his fangs, Sha fairly dragged Kagome along behind as he stormed towards a tall young man wearing perfectly-creased dress trousers and an expensive-looking sweater standing opposite the open doorway of a classroom at the end of the hall.

"What's wrong, Mr. Nishiki?" she hissed worriedly, wondering what was causing the hanyou to growl so impressively under his breath. When she realized exactly _who_ Sha was bearing down on, she attempted to slow their forward momentum. "That's my prof's guest observer! What're you…?"

"Look more closely, girl," Sha snarled.

Assessing the young man, she finally spotted the tell-tale aura of pale light haloing his slender body. "Oh… he's a…"

"Keh. When did he show up in your classroom?"

"Um… the day after Mistress Centipede's attack."

"_Dammit_. Oi! What the hell are _you_ doing here, brat?"

The 'guest observer' gave a very Sha-like smirk before replying, "Hello, Uncle."

"_Uncle_?" Kagome squeaked, looking back and forth between Sha and the tall man, who were instantly locked in a ferocious glaring contest.

"This is my snot-nosed nephew, Tenmaru Nishiki," Sha growled, fairly bristling at the younger man's refusal to submit.

"Good morning, Miss Higurashi," his opponent smoothly intoned, managing to politely incline his head without breaking eye contact with Sha.

Kagome frowned. "You were introduced to the class as Tenma Nibanko...."

"Why the _fuck_ are you here?"

"Father was concerned over the haphazard arrangements made for Miss Higurashi's safety and felt that extra security was warranted." Breaking off his pissing match with Sha, Tenmaru directly addressed Kagome. "You are aware of what we are?"

"No shit," Sha began, just as his nostrils flared and he developed an instant eye-twitch. "Oh, _fuck_… not _him_, too!"

"Hey, Mishi! How's it going… aw, _hell_. Long time, no see, Uncle," interjected a new voice.

"_Mishi_?" Sha exclaimed. "What the _fuck,_ Tsugane?"

Ignoring the hanyou's outburst, Kagome wheeled around, her mouth dropping open. "_I-ichiko_? You, too?"

The stocky newcomer, garbed in jeans and a close-fitting, long-sleeved knit top that casually showed off his ripped physique, glanced questioningly at Tenmaru and received a nod in return. As he handed the befuddled young woman a cardboard cup of hot tea, he grinned sheepishly. "Please don't be mad, Mishi; Tsugane Nishiki is my real name, while 'Ichiko' is one of my family nicknames."

Tenmaru smirked. "It's short for 'Ichiban-no-koinu'."

"'Number-one-puppy'?" Kagome weakly asked.

"Thank you, Niban-no-koinu," Tsugane said loftily, looking down his nose at Tenmaru despite being several inches shorter. "Excuse me, Uncle, but I'll take Mishi… and any explanations… from here." Cupping Kagome's elbow, he whisked her into the classroom.

While Sha gaped in disbelief at being handily out-manoeuvred, not to mention Tsugane's casual familiarity with Kagome, Tenmaru mockingly clucked his tongue. "Hard to believe he's over 500 years old."

"Proof that he was dropped on his head one too many times as a pup."

"Funny… Father has always said that about _you_."

Rounding on a highly amused Tenmaru, Sha growled, "_Mishi_? What the hell's _that_ all about?"

"Brother decided that 'Miss Higurashi' was too big of a mouthful for casual conversation when they were taking their English-language refresher course last year and combined a few letters. She doesn't seem to mind."

"_Asshole_… what the fuck is he doing screwing around at university, anyways?" Sha sneered.

"His reasoning was something along the lines of 'chicks dig medical students!'" Tenmaru shrugged. Folding his arms, the younger man continued, "We have Miss Higurashi well in hand, Uncle; I suggest that you go home and relax for a few hours." Wrinkling his nose, he continued, "Perhaps consider a shower… and a change of clothes."

Before Sha could retaliate either verbally or physically, the professor bustled up the hallway, precariously juggling an armload of file folders, a briefcase and a brimming mug. "Ah! Good morning, Mr. Nibanko; ready to start the day?" the man cheerily asked, returning Tenmaru's bow with an enthusiastic head-bob that endangered his balance as he sailed past.

"Of course, Professor," Tenmaru murmured. Above the shuffling of feet and scraping of chairs in the classroom as the students stood up to greet their instructor, he said, "Meet us back here at one o'clock, Uncle. Trust us to protect the Shikon miko in your stead." With that, he shut the door in Sha's face.

The stunned hanyou glared at the steel panel for a long moment before turning on his heel. "Fucking little _snots_…" As he strode up the hall towards the elevators, steam practically pouring out of both sets of real and illusory ears, Sha was a long way from admitting that having his nephews on duty made it easier to keep his promise. _I'll thrash those little brats within an inch of their lives if anything happens to her!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

One o'clock that afternoon found Sha tapping his foot and checking his cell phone's display every ten seconds until his nephews emerged from the building with Kagome safely tucked between them. Tenmaru had her yellow backpack slung over his shoulder and Tsugane was jabbering away as he gesticulated wildly. _That whelp is such a fucking motor-mouth. _ Sha's hackles went straight up when Kagome giggled at something Tsugane said while flashing the young man a brilliant smile. Tenmaru heard the resultant sub-sonic growl, though, and he caught Tsugane's eye over Kagome's head. Both brothers imperceptibly straightened as they met their uncle's furious gaze; Kagome became aware of the charged atmosphere and glanced between the three men. "Your _youki_ are really bright…" Breaking off, she nervously looked around. "Are we about to be attacked?"

"No, Mishi… not unless you count Uncle's famously foul mouth," Tsugane murmured, gently steering her towards Sha. "I'll save a couple of seats at our usual place, okay? Join us once Uncle is finished turning you into a biker chick."

Sha bared his teeth, and his nephews had enough sense to lower their eyes and take a step back. Tenmaru tapped the shoulder strap of Kagome's backpack. "I'll keep this for you, Miss Higurashi; see you soon." Bowing, he and Tsugane headed off, causing quite the flutter among loitering groups of young women as they strode up the sidewalk. Sha watched them retreat, a snarl trying to break free, until Kagome cleared her throat.

"Um… didn't you want to go somewhere? If you've changed your mind, I'd like to catch up with those two because I'm _starving_."

Sha cursed viciously under his breath before saying aloud, "Let's get the fuck out of here... wait, what did that brat mean, 'our usual place'? Has he been taking you out?"

"You sound like my grandfather," Kagome retorted. "Yes, Ichiko and I regularly go for lunch at an _izakaya_ around the corner. He's funny, smart, good-natured… and I enjoy his company." Studying Sha's rigid posture and flaring _youki_, she abruptly put two and two together. "You're _jealous_!"

"Of _that _whelp? You're fucking _insane_." Sha swung into the saddle of his motorcycle and started the engine.

"You _are_," Kagome insisted, trying to decide if she should be flattered or offended at his possessiveness.

"Am _not_!" Jamming his helmet onto his heat, Sha fumed… until the bike rocked gently as Kagome slid into place behind him.

Moving his hair aside, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "If he's like you, then I'm just as safe with him and both of them are actually doing you a favour by saving you from terminal boredom. This afternoon's lab concentrates on the internal structures of the human eye." After a moment, she continued, "There's no need to be jealous; Ichiko's _nothing_ like you."

Sha bit back a cutting remark when he realized that Kagome had joined him without a fuss… but he wasn't sure if she'd just complimented him or insulted him. _Nothing__ like that brat? I fucking __hope__ so!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

After a brief and highly successful buying trip that started with Kagome blurting out, "You have the most beautifully-coloured _youki_!" to the bemused proprietor of 'Foxfire Cycles', Sha took a moment to admire the young woman now attired in a curve-hugging leather jacket as she attempted to fluff her flattened hair.

"How do you _do_ it?" Kagome finally demanded in exasperation. "You take off your helmet and _presto_, you have babe hair!"

"Superior genes, remember?" While Sha preened at her compliment, the young woman huffed and tried again before giving up. "Where are those two brats waiting for us?" he asked.

"This way." Kagome relieved him of her new helmet and led him towards a grungy flight of stairs squeezed between a florist shop and an electronics parts store.

"It looks kinda shady…."

"Oh, don't be so suspicious," she chided. "The food is terrific!"

"I'll take your word for it," he muttered dourly. "Oi, wait a sec." As she paused on the threshold of the lively pub, he checked to make sure that the tiny blue and white enamelled pin on the collar of her new jacket was visible to those with keen enough eyesight to matter.

Kagome fingered the floral crest after he withdrew his hand. "I saw this inside your collar yesterday, but didn't realize the significance…"

He arched a dark brow. "You mean you've never noticed that the same crest is on the gas tank of my motorcycle?"

She was saved by Tsugane's boisterous hail from across the crowded, noisy room. "Good timing! The food just arrived!" Accosting Kagome as she arrived at the table, he made her turn in a complete circle as he checked out her new jacket. Finally nodding in approval, he shooed her into the bench seat against the wall and stood aside for Sha to join her. "Nice, Uncle. Premium dragonet leather with baby fire-rat fur lining?"

"Of course."

"Only the best for the House of the West," Tenmaru chimed in, mischievously leaving it open as to whether he was referring to the clothing or the young woman. Refusing to be cowed by Sha's lowering gaze as he poured tea, he blandly queried, "Do you need another pin, Uncle? I have an extra."

The young woman looked questioningly at Sha. "How come yours was inside your collar?"

"He likes to pretend he isn't related; can't imagine why," Tsugane grinned. "I mean, just _look_ at us! We're good-looking, talented, intelligent…"

"And annoying as hell," Sha finished grumpily, sniffing cautiously before selecting a chunk of deep-fried chicken _kara-age_ and popping it into his mouth.

"That, too," Tsugane agreed equably. Spearing a pale, round dumpling on his chopstick and waving it under her nose, he asked, "Ready to dissect some eyeballs after lunch, Mishi?"

"Ugh. I'd rather put stuff back together than cut it apart," Kagome replied, batting at his hand before choosing a piece of sushi. "I know I have to understand the body's structures to do so, but still…."

"Too bad humans aren't self-repairing like youkai," Tenmaru observed, assuming that the room's cacophony would make it difficult for eavesdroppers to pick up on the unusual topic of conversation. "However, that wouldn't bode well for future employment in your chosen profession if they could."

Sha's cell phone went off at that moment, and the lurid cursing which immediately erupted as he answered the call made the other two men exchange smirks and Kagome's eyebrows disappear under her bangs. The expletive-loaded conversation continued for another minute, until Tsugane deadpanned, "Uncle is _very_ fond of his dear elder brother. The affection is simply _spewing_ from him at this moment."

"Fuck off, brat," Sha snarled as he closed his phone and switched his formidable attention to Kagome. "What time are you finished today?"

"Four o'clock."

"You're on duty, whelps; apparently that damn wolf needs a gentle reminder of his place in the pecking order."

"Father's tolerance for the wolf prince's shenanigans is impressive… but then, he's had plenty of practice with _you_, Uncle," Tsugane observed, then ducked the 'friendly' swat aimed at his head. Once Sha had taken his leave, Tsugane and Tenmaru efficiently divvied up his portion of appetizers between the two of them. Noting that Kagome had gone rather quiet and was aimlessly tapping her chopsticks, her attention obviously a million miles away, he gave his brother a significant look before giving her a friendly nudge. "Something on your mind, Mishi?"

She jumped a little, then smiled ruefully. "Yes, but I'm afraid I'm being terribly rude and nosy…."

"Fire away, Miss Higurashi," Tenmaru invited, sipping his tea.

"Okay… are you full-blooded dog-youkai?"

"Nope. We're hanyou, like Uncle. Our mother was human," Tsugane said, running his hand through his fashionably tousled hairstyle.

"Oh! Do you have cute ears like Mr. Nishiki?" she asked, squinting hard to see if his _youki_ outlined the fuzzy appendages the same way it did Sha's. Catching the glance that passed between the two brothers instead, she fell silent. "Um… did I cause offence…?"

"Not at all, Miss Higurashi. Ichiban-no-koinu does indeed sport perky ears, but I do not, possibly because of our varying parentages," Tenmaru murmured.

"Varying parentages? But…you said your mother was a human… or am I missing something?"

"She was… but his mother and my mother weren't _exactly_ the same person."

Tsugane rolled his eyes. "You're confusing the crap outta the poor girl; lemme try. Mishi, Tenmaru is my 'brother from another mother'." Bursting out laughing at her expression, he cheerfully elaborated, "I was born to the first Lady Rin, while he is the son of her reincarnation … same soul, different bodies." As Kagome sat in stunned silence, he continued, "Father first met Mother when she was quite young, during the Warring States era; he took her into his household as his ward and married her when she came of age."

"That sounds so… _The Tale of Genji_-ish…" she managed to say.

"It was, minus the excessive bed-hopping by Father, of course; dog-youkai by nature are very loyal to their mates. My lady mother lived to a ripe old age, but still, she was only human. When she passed away, Father and I had a hell of a time trying to find her again. We're pretty sure that we missed her at least a couple of times, because it wasn't until the 1700s that we came across her in a fishing village to the south of Niigata. That's when 'Number Two Puppy' here joined the family." He fell silent for a moment and shared a long, unhappy look with Tenmaru.

"Your father is alone again?" Kagome ventured.

"Yes; Mother's last reincarnation… that we know of… passed away during the Meiji era," he answered, clearly uncomfortable while Tenmaru found the tabletop extremely interesting. The young woman noted their body language and decided not to pry, but Tsugane continued, "Mother was extremely venerable when we found her. She died only a few weeks later, but at least she had us… her family… at her side."

"Even though she never had the chance to meet your father, she didn't marry anyone else during her lifetime?" Kagome couldn't help asking.

Tsugane's smile was bittersweet. "She was orphaned as a child and had been taken in by a Buddhist nunnery. At the time of her death, she was the dowager abbess." His expression brightened, and he excitedly beckoned Kagome closer to confide, "Good news, though! I found Mother a couple of weeks ago, and we're just waiting for an opportunity to introduce ourselves. She's a few years younger than you, as it happens."

Kagome bit her lip. "Um… this is kind of an awkward question…"

"Yes?"

She squirmed. "Do you think that when your father looks at a new reincarnation of your mother, does he see her… or the first woman he knew?"

The brothers exchanged speaking glances before Tenmaru cleared his throat. "Father has always said that while _my_ mother had the same face and scent as Tsugane's mother, she was very much her own person due to the influences of her life before she returned to his side." Ducking his head to better see Kagome's expression, he softly asked, "Does your question have anything to do with Uncle's assertion that you are the reincarnation of the first Shikon miko?"

"He said I was 'nothing like her', though," Kagome mumbled, uncomfortable with how keenly Sha's words had cut.

Tsugane smiled quietly. "How _could _you be anything like her, Mishi? From what we know, the Lady Kikyo was not only an orphan, but had the responsibility of raising her younger sister as well as protecting the Shikon-no-Tama in a harsh, unforgiving time. You've grown up in a loving family and enjoyed all the advantages of this modern era, from abundant food to medical care to schooling… of _course_ you are your own person, no matter who you may look like."

"Were they… married?"

Tenmaru instantly replied, "No. In that time? A priestess and a hanyou, or a priestess and any youkai for that matter? They'd be shunned at the very least, or killed outright."

"But they loved each other, right?"

The two men recognized a loaded question when they heard one and shifted uncomfortably. "They did," Tenmaru confirmed. "But they also knew they could never be together as they were, so Uncle planned to use the Shikon-no-Tama to wish himself human in order that the Lady Kikyo could become his wife. However, Uncle recently told Father that Naraku intervened and caused the tragedy that your shrine faithfully re-enacts every Setsubun."

"How do _you_ know about Naraku, when his participation was apparently news to Mr. Nishiki?"

Tsugane hastily swallowed a mouthful of food. "Naraku attacked my lady mother during the time that Uncle was still pinned to the Goshinboku. As for your other question, Uncle passed on the circumstances surrounding his sealing to Father only a few days ago."

"Naraku attacked your mother?" Kagome gasped, her own lunch forgotten. "What happened?"

The dog-hanyou smirked. "Father handed him his ass on a gilded tray, of course. However, he was unable to kill the bastard."

Tenmaru checked his watch. "We'd better head back if you don't want to miss a single drop of _vitreous humour_." Kagome gamely popped another piece of sushi into her mouth as she gathered her new jacket and helmet, but the shrimp-filled morsel tasted flat and unappetizing.

Tsugane noticed the droop to her shoulders and guessed at the reason. Helping her into her jacket, he murmured, "I'm sure that Uncle sees _you_, Mishi. The Lady Kikyo has been dead for a very long time, and his memories of her were tainted by the circumstances of his sealing… yet he has willingly taken on the role of your protector."

"But… I don't _know_ him," she protested as they threaded through the crowded tables towards the entrance.

"This reincarnation of Mother doesn't know Father yet, either, but true soul mates are drawn together… you must feel _something_ when you are with Uncle," he insisted as they waited for Tenmaru to pay the bill.

"I do… but…."

"You're weirded out by the idea that you were _destined_ to fall for him?" he hazarded.

The young woman went very pale and looked more than a little shocked. Tsugane gave her arm a comforting squeeze as the trio thudded down the stairs and headed towards the medical building. Along the way, the young woman's luck in acquiring such handsome escorts garnered envious looks from disappointed young ladies.

The source of equally envious attention, although for very different reasons, set down his tea cup with deliberate care as he watched the small piece of flesh, cartilage and bone dodging feet, backpacks and table legs as it scuttled towards him. Scooping up his temporarily-detached ear under pretext of retrieving his wallet from his coat, he patted it back into place and contemplated what he had just overheard, his reddish-brown eyes veiled behind long dark lashes. _So the rumours are true… you have finally returned, my lovely priestess._ _Unfortunately, you seem to have the same taste in male company as the last time; it must be karma that allowed the stupid dog to once again usurp my rightful place at your side._

Making sure that he continued emanating a benign _youki _signature selected from the hapless dozens imprisoned within his body, he rose gracefully to his feet and shouldered into an extravagant fur-trimmed coat. With a nostalgic thought for the time when he would have simply slaughtered the occupants of the room and been on his way, he tossed several yen notes onto the table. _I look forward to re-introducing myself to you, my dear Kikyo… and to the Lord of the West._ Brushing imaginary lint off the sleeves of his immaculate coat, he unhurriedly departed the _izakaya_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: **Yes, the proprietor of 'Foxfire Cycles' is a certain russet-haired fox-youkai of our acquaintance; however, like the fleeting mention of 'that damn wolf', neither Shippo nor Koga play any further role in this fic.

_The Tale of Genji_ by Lady Murasaki is considered the world's first psychological novel; it has just been re-issued to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of its first publication in 1009 AD. The protagonist is a handsome Imperial princeling who is not only irresistible to women but sees no need _to_ resist, despite his devotion to his long-term mistress… who entered his household at the age of ten and was trained up to be his 'perfect companion'.

_Detachable body parts_ – Naraku's last incarnation in the IY manga, Byakuya of the Mirage, had the ability to remove his eyeball from its socket and send it off on snooping missions, so I decided that Naraku could probably be capable of something similar.

**Random trivia:** Shiro means 'white', and because the central towers of Japanese castle complexes were usually covered in plaster and white-washed, the word also came to mean 'castle'. Sesshomaru is going by the modern name 'Sesshiro' in this fic because I couldn't resist the connotations relating to the colour of his robes in canon as well as the existence of the real-life fortress of Inuyama, which lies to the west of modern Tokyo in Aichi Prefecture.


	6. Reap the Whirlwind

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **The action of this chapter takes place over the late afternoon/early evening of the same day.

**Bouquets** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Coarse language, Demon!Inu, dragon guts, WAFF.

**The Price**

**Chapter Six: Reap the Whirlwind**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Hey, guys… what took you so long?" Sota cheerfully hailed as he loped across the parking area, a gauze mask dangling around his neck. Cutting loose with an appreciative whistle, he grinned at his sister as she dismounted from the motorcycle. "Nice jacket, Sis. You look _almost_ cool." Chuckling as he dodged her retaliatory swipe, he added, "Mom left me a note about the last place she saw the Tetsusaiga, so I started without you."

"Any luck?" Sha eagerly asked.

"Not so far; it's in the very back corner of a very tightly-packed room and under about half a ton of stuff… but I managed to find that other sword you told me about, Mr. Nishiki."

"Which one would that be?" Kagome queried, shooting the hanyou a sharp look.

"Yura's," he replied. "I figured it could be substituted for the Tetsusaiga, so your grandfather wouldn't realize it was gone."

"I remembered to wear gloves, but it totally went off like a firework when I touched it! _So_ friggin' _cool_! The sparks shot twenty feet!"

"Told ya," Sha grunted, evading Kagome's horrified look. "Where is it now?"

Sota waved towards the complex of traditionally-styled storehouses abutting the main shrine building, where a calico cat lounged on the veranda railing, her tail gently swaying. "Right below Buyo; she's the ferocious guard-cat. Lookit that killer's stance!"

_More accurate than you'll ever know, whelp! _ Sha tapped Kagome's shoulder. "You should try purifying the sword, so it doesn't zap the next person who touches it… who will probably be your mother."

"Um, okay… where's Mom, anyways?"

Sota waggled his eyebrows. "Gramps was apparently 'at death's door' all morning, but had a totally _miraculous_ recovery in time for Mom to drive him to Mr. Yoshida's house."

"I'm going to change my clothes," Kagome sighed, starting for the house. "I'll only be a minute," she protested when Sha followed.

"I know," he calmly replied, opening the foyer door and ushering her inside. "I'll wait here."

Kagome found space in a cubby hole for the helmet. Fingering the collar of the jacket as she slipped it off, she shyly said, "Thanks again for this."

"My pleasure, Miss Higurashi." His smile was genuine, sending butterflies cavorting through her stomach. Before she allowed the feeling to cause more havoc to her equilibrium, she darted into the house and up the stairs to her room. Shutting the door, she leaned against it, everything that Tsugane and Tenmaru had told her spinning through her head.

Pressing her hand to her rapidly-beating heart, Kagome tried to think rationally… to no avail. _I wish I knew how to handle this._ Forcing herself to go through the calming motions of swapping her skirt and sweater for jeans and a t-shirt, she tied her hair up into a ponytail, collected her bow and quiver, then headed back downstairs. Sha was leaning against the doorframe, looking completely at ease; she blushed lightly when his appreciative gaze lingered on her figure and her stomach flipped. Extracting a pair of work gloves from another cubby, she managed a smile.

"Good thinking in case we have more unexpected visitors," Sha commented, indicating her weaponry. Kagome was about to don one of Sota's scruffier hoodies when he stopped her. "Wear the leather, just in case." Helping her into the jacket, his hands lingered on her shoulders for a fraction of a second longer than necessary, deepening the colour in her cheeks.

Grasping after her rapidly vanishing composure, she said perhaps a touch _too_ brightly, "Okay, let's rescue your sword from the nesting dust bunnies."

He grinned like a little kid about to receive the best birthday present ever. "Wait'll you see what it can do; might have to go for a ride outside the city this weekend to show off its full bag of tricks."

"Just so long as any trip is scheduled for _after_ my competition on Saturday morning." While they crossed the courtyard, as Sha quietly exulted that she'd apparently agreed to spend more time with him, Kagome asked, "The Tetsusaiga's main attack has something to do with controlling the wind, right?"

"The Kaze-no-Kizu," he nodded, pleased that she knew about it. "Tetsusaiga has a few other specialized attacks, too, like the ability to break barriers and rebound an enemy's _youki_ back at them."

"You've really missed it," she commented, ascending the stairs to the covered veranda that connected the storerooms.

"Now _there's _an understatement…. Hey, kitty," he greeted Buyo, who responded with a cool look before arching her back under Kagome's hand and purring mightily.

"I used an arrow to purify Yura's comb; do you think that would work on her sword?" the young woman asked, giving Buyo a final scratch before kneeling on the planking beside the innocent-looking weapon.

"Don't see why not. Oi! Come watch your sister's spiritual powers in action," he called to Sota and the teen popped out of the open storeroom door.

"This is _so_ awesome!" he enthused, squatting on the veranda next to Kagome. "Will it fight back?"

"It might, so be ready to run for it," Sha answered with a suspiciously straight face, smirking when Sota edged further away. Kagome pulled an arrow out of her quiver and took a deep breath before the tip turned blazing pink. Stabbing downwards until the spiritually-charged steel contacted the sword's blade, she held on for all she was worth as Yura's weapon bucked and spat sparks. A very dark red mist condensed around the sword and was rapidly burned off by the energy emanating from the arrow, leaving behind only dull bone-grey metal.

"_Wow_…." Sota was positively owl-eyed. "Is it safe to touch now?"

"Probably," Sha allowed.

As the teen pounced, Kagome threateningly wielded her arrow. "Mr. Nishiki said 'probably', not 'go for it'!"

Sota reluctantly retreated before looking hopefully at Sha, who obliged by reaching for the still-smoking hilt. Lifting it to eye-level, he gave it a cursory examination before handing it to a thoroughly boggled teenager. "Mind the blade."

"_Whoa!_ It'd be _so cool_ if I could use it in competitions!" the teen exclaimed, gingerly handling the razor-sharp weapon.

"So long as your gramps doesn't find out, why not? It's youkai-forged, so it's lighter and stronger than the equivalent human-made sword; it'd be an awesome tournament weapon," Sha said. "Keh. Time to evict the dust bunnies." Pulling Kagome to her feet, he towed her towards the open door of the storage room, but one whiff of the musty atmosphere within provoked a coughing fit.

"Do you have another dust mask, Sota?" Kagome asked, belatedly realizing that her hand was firmly in Sha's grasp.

"Yep. Scored a couple spares after the dust nearly did me in when I first unlocked the door," he cheerfully replied, extracting small plastic-wrapped packages from his rear pocket after carefully laying the sword on the veranda next to the storeroom door. "I think this room was missed in the pre-New Year cleaning binge several years in a row!" Kagome wriggled her hand free to accept the proffered masks, but Sha wiped his streaming eyes and took them away.

"You're on sentry duty, Miss Higurashi," he wheezed.

"Um… is that a good idea? The dust doesn't seem to agree with you."

"It's fucking murder on my nose, but I'm needed for any heavy lifting," he gamely replied, tying a mask in place.

"Right this way, Mr. Nishiki." Sota's eyes crinkled over the edge of his face mask as he grinned beneath it, and both men disappeared into the dimly-lit storeroom. Kagome peered in, then retreated as a billowing cloud erupted the moment they moved something.

Feeling a little at a loss, she wandered down the veranda to seat herself on the top stair, which gave a clear view of the courtyard, the access road, the _torii_ gate and a glimpse of the Tokyo skyline beyond. Buyo thumped down onto the planks from her perch on the railing and padded over to join the young woman; Kagome obliged a piteous meow with a thorough petting. Propping her chin on her free hand, she studiously tried _not_ thinking about the handsome hanyou while Buyo purred loudly.

She _almost _missed the first tremor, but the second was accompanied by a blast of _jyaki_ that nearly bowled her over with its visceral impact. Buyo growled and hissed, her fur standing on end as the ground continued to shake, the tremors growing stronger and more powerful with each passing second. Ignoring the cursing from the storeroom as shelving collapsed and boxes toppled, Kagome hung onto the railing and made her way down the shuddering stairs, then ran a drunken course across the lurching courtyard towards the _torii_ gate_. This feels just like when Mistress Centipede attacked… multiplied by a thousand!_ Conscious of the way the red-painted crossbars were rattling in their sockets above her head, she scanned the neighbourhood in an attempt to locate the source of the _jyaki_… and her jaw dropped.

_Is that a __dragon__? No way!_

A sinuously coiling body rearing as high as a twenty-story building thrashed its way towards her, its vaporous body passing through the busy streets and high rises without leaving any visible damage to buildings or people, but the localized earthquake caused by its passage set the emergency sirens to wailing. As she gawked, she realized that between the dragon's eyes was a pale humanoid face, and it seemed to be chatting to someone riding on its shoulder. Briefly rising onto its hind legs as if orienting itself, it then plunged through an apartment building that swayed drunkenly but remained standing and came straight for the _torii_ gate.

Stumbling backwards, she ran into a very solid body and was tossed over Sha's shoulder without so much as a by-your-leave. Scrabbling at the smooth leather of his jacket while trying not to lose the arrows out of her quiver, she ended up with a handful of hair and a precarious hold on his collar as he charged back across the courtyard at an incredible rate of speed. Sota clung to the railing outside the storeroom as crackling wood and a pungent smell announced the destruction of the sacramental saké supply. "What's going on?" he shouted as Sha landed on the heaving veranda and deposited his wild-eyed sister on her feet.

Steadying Kagome with an arm around her waist, Sha yelled, "Fucking dragon-youkai! Release my sword, or we're all fucking toast!" Diving off the veranda, he took up a stance about half-way across the courtyard.

"_Dragon_? Is he _serious_?" the teen asked.

"Completely… I wonder if you'll be able to see it?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You need youkai blood or spiritual power!" Sha shouted. "If you can't see it, go hide somewhere until your sister or I come for you!"

Sota frowned as he beckoned to Kagome and they staggered towards the swaying doorway; through the clouds of dust, they could see the room's contents being thoroughly scrambled. The teen dropped to his knees on the veranda and caught hold of a familiar long, battered wooden case as it slid to and fro on the threshold. The securing cords had already been cut, but Kagome could see the ancient paper sutras plastering the exterior crackling with blue-tinged power. "Can you see that?" she asked, indicating the blue light.

"See what?"

"You're out of luck regarding spiritual power. What happened?"

"When Mr. Nishiki touched the box, he was thrown right through the wall!"

Struggling to keep her grip on the lid as the case bounced and jounced with the shaking of the building, she let out a startled cry when a storm-force wind roared past her the moment that she cracked it open. Sota was sent tumbling by the howling gale, but Kagome held on until it subsided. Inside the sutra-lined case, the sword _looked_ the same as every other time she'd handled it, the aged wooden scabbard practically begging for a waxing, the shabby hilt in need of re-wrapping and the _tsuba_ requiring at least a polish and probably a re-gilding… but this time she could see the powerful white _youki_ aura swirling around the weapon. _I'm afraid to touch it; Yura's sword was __nothing__ compared to this!_

"We're out of time!" Sha roared, and Kagome looked over her shoulder to see the dragon-youkai hooking its claws over the crest of the hill and hauling itself onto the shrine grounds; as it crushed the _torii_ gate beneath its bulk, a brilliant blue light flared up all around the perimeter and briefly illuminated the spectral creature against the gathering dusk. As the dragon bellowed, undoubtedly at being zapped by considerable spiritual power, Sota's terrified yell told Kagome that he'd finally seen their opponent.

"Grab the fucking sword, girl! It won't harm you!" Sha thundered.

"How do you know?" she screamed back.

"You're _human_!"

_I have to trust him._ Her fraying nerves settled and she decisively took hold of the weapon with both hands. Tearing away the final paper sutra that was always meticulously replaced each time the blade was oiled, she was instantly swathed in what felt like electrically-charged cumulous clouds that snapped and stung at her hands and face. Before her own spiritual energy could respond in kind, the white aura became a gentle mist that caressed her cheeks and smoothed her wind-tossed hair. Stunned by the sword's reaction, she stared at it for a long moment, but when the blade began humming in its sheath, she staggered to her feet.

Sha landed in front of her on the veranda before she'd taken more than three steps; wordlessly she held out the weapon with one hand while hanging onto the railing with the other. As he grasped it, he held her gaze. "That fucker's scales are stronger than steel. It'd be a waste of arrows unless the range closes, and the only way _that's_ gonna happen is if I'm dead." Drawing the battered blade, he thrust the empty scabbard back into her hands. "Hold onto this; it'll protect both of you from most _youki_-powered attacks." Turning away, he seemed impervious to the rolling of the wooden planking under his feet as he took a running leap off the veranda.

"_Holy gods_!" Sota shouted in Kagome's ear as the scruffy old sword in Sha's hand suddenly flared like a phosphorescent torch and transformed into a massive gleaming weapon over twice its usual length. White _youki_ energy whirled around the blade, and the dilapidated _tsuba_ had become a ruff of flowing fur. "He's the _real_ Inuyasha, all right!"

As the siblings held onto each other, they watched the hanyou drop into a defensive crouch while the dragon tried to force its way across the perimeter… but then something went wrong. Sha's concealment spell seemed to burn away; as his hair turned silver, it began rising as if in an updraft. Kagome noticed that his _youki_ turned from pale red to brilliant scarlet before it became an ominous deep burgundy tinged with even darker streaks. _J__yaki__? What's happening to him? _When Sha threw back his head and howled at the sky, she had part of her answer. They were close enough to see the jagged stripes furrowing his cheeks and the tremendously elongated fangs… then the nightmarish red and blue eyes as he turned towards them.

_**Prey… flesh, blood....**_

"Sis… he's looking at us," Sota whimpered. "Get an arrow ready!"

"But I _don't_ want to kill him!" she protested over the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as the transformed hanyou's tongue slowly swiped over his elongated fangs.

_**Fear… delicious... **__**power**__**....**_

"I don't think he recognizes us any more," Sota hissed as the hanyou began slinking forward, the thrashing dragon-youkai clearly forgotten. Kagome gulped and steeled herself, but before she could notch an arrow, Sha stopped in his tracks and violently shook his head.

_Not__ prey, dammit! Fucking __amateur__… being possessed by my own weapon! Keh! Sess'll never let me hear the end of it if he ever finds out! _Smacking himself in the forehead as he straightened up, Sha breathed deeply several times to stabilize the _youki_ energy surging through his body. Concentrating on reconnecting the intuitive bonds severed by Tetsusaiga's long imprisonment, he continued to enforce his will over his sword's straining demonic power. _Not bad, hanyou, for being out of practice for five fucking centuries._ His heightened senses easily detected the fear tainting Kagome's and Sota's scents, but he could also hear Kagome reassuring Sota that he was back in control… something about his aura returning to normal. "I'm okay!" he called, and was slightly disconcerted by the deep rumble emanating from his throat. _Tetsusaiga's __youki__ was suppressed for far too long in order to keep it hidden; not gonna complain, though, because the extra power's gonna come in handy against a dragon!_

Kagome's heart rate briefly surged at the sound of his altered voice, but her scent cleared at his words; he waved reassuringly before turning back to his opponent. Not a moment too soon, as it happened, because the dragon let out a thunderous roar and tore itself free of the barrier protecting the shrine's boundaries.

"_**You said nothing about a sacred barrier!"**_ the dragon snarled, and the onlookers realized that it was the humanoid face doing the talking.

"I _did_ mention that your quarry would more than likely be found at a shrine," the white-clad figure mildly remonstrated, dusting his lapels. "Shrines tend to protect their treasures."

"_**Bah. Don't make me laugh; what sort of valuables could a dingy little hovel like **__**this **__**have in its storerooms? A lacquer box or two?"**_ the dragon jibed.

The rider only smiled mysteriously and pointed at the silver-haired figure wielding a massive sword. "As promised, there is your opponent; I have fulfilled my part of our bargain. Shall I do the introductions? He should at least understand the honour he is about to receive."

"I ain't got all day, fuckers… who are you and what the hell do you want?" Sha bellowed, mentally assessing the best place to pierce the dragon's scales. _Gotta kill it before its fat ass destroys the neighbourhood!_

"Ah, Inuyasha… as charming as ever, I see." The white-clad rider gracefully slid down the dragon's forearm to the ground. A riot of glossy black curls surrounded a delicately-featured face and reddish-brown eyes gleamed over a self-satisfied smirk.

"Who the fuck are _you_?" The hair on the back of Sha's neck stood straight up as he identified the other man as a hanyou like himself. _What's up with him? His scent's all jumbled… like he's a mix of dozens of different types of youkai. _

Ignoring Sha's demand, the other man made a grand gesture. "Even with your limited mental capacity, I'm sure you'll recognize the name of Lord Ryukotsusei?"

Sha glared up at the towering dragon-youkai, who made a show of nonchalantly picking a long fang with an even longer claw while the humanoid face sneered. "I know him, all right. The fucker who killed my lord father… who released him?"

"That was me, I'm afraid," sighed the curly-haired hanyou. "Lord Ryukotsusei was quite keen to have revenge for his sealing, you see, but unfortunately the relevant Lord of the West is long deceased. I helpfully suggested that he kill one of the sons instead, and you were the lucky candidate."

"What did _you_ get out of the deal?"

The reddish-brown eyes lifted to gaze over Sha's shoulder. "Another chance at destiny." A swathe of vapour-wrapped enchanted steel blocked his view, and he switched his amused glance back to the fiery-eyed hanyou. "Your opponent awaits, Inuyasha. Excuse me while I reintroduce myself to the lovely Lady Kikyo." With that, the man easily leapt over the hissing blade and sped towards the siblings.

_Reintroduce…? Lady Kikyo? It __couldn't__ be… _Sha's brain stutteredas growing suspicion turned into full-fledged horror. "Oh, _fuck,_ _NO_!" he roared, his blood running cold. _I won't make it in time!_

As Sha turned away, intending to prevent the other hanyou from getting anywhere near Kagome, a searing ball of orange energy blew him off his feet and left a smoking impact crater several feet across. Regaining his balance, he bared his fangs at the insolent dragon-youkai. "_Fuck __off_, asshole!"

"_**I**__** am your opponent, boy… you will show me the proper respect!"**_ Ryukotsusei roared.

"I don't have time for you, fucker!" Sha strained his ears to hear the confrontation behind him as he tried to determine the best place to strike his opponent. _Gotta end this __now__! _

"I am Narakage Hitomi," the curly-haired man purred as he bowed with studied graciousness, but his dark aura gave him away before he added, "I believe you may remember me as 'Onigumo'." Kagome's stomach knotted with visceral fear as a part of her consciousness recognized the threat embodied by this stranger. As the man ascended the stairs onto the veranda, she fumbled for her weapons, her eyes locked onto his beautiful, merciless face. "That pathetic dog can't protect you, dearest Kikyo. Give me the Jewel, and I will not only be invincible but _your_ devoted champion."

"I'm not Kikyo," she rasped, her throat dry with fear. _He used Ryukotsusei to break through the barrier because he couldn't do it himself, as well as keeping Mr. Nishiki busy. I have to do this myself! _ Sparing a brief thought for how the barrier happened to be there in the first place, she stopped retreating and braced her hip against the veranda railing as the ground continued to shake from Ryukotsusei's leisurely pursuit of Sha.

Narakage's aura writhed around him, his silhouette resembling nothing less than a mass of tentacles as he continued moving remorselessly towards her. Notching an arrow, she willed herself to calm down and the tip to ignite… but Sota was suddenly in front of her, a sword clutched in his hand.

"Stop right there," he growled, fighting for footing. "Stay away from my sister."

"I'm afraid that I cannot oblige you, boy. It is Lady Kikyo's destiny to take her place at my side… and mine to control the Jewel."

Fury finally broke down the wall of fear. "I'm Kagome! _Ka-go-me_!" she stormed, raising her bow, "and I'll _never_ help you!"

Narakage's expression darkened and his aura flared. "Don't say 'no' to me, Kikyo," he warned. "You will obey my command… or your loved ones will suffer." In the blink of an eye, his arm warped and elongated, his fingers becoming a single long, flexible appendage that slapped Sota aside. As the teen skidded into the wall, the tip sharpened itself into a talon and drove straight for his chest.

"_Sota!_"

"_Kaze-no-Kizu!_"

The building heaved violently, knocking Narakage off his feet so that the deadly spike missed embedding itself in Sota's heart, instead pinning him to the storeroom wall by his sweatshirt. Kagome was distracted from racing to her brother's side by the smoking gouges and jagged chunks of pavement crashing down on the courtyard; at the apex of the roughly triangular debris field stood the silver-haired hanyou, his enormous blade half-buried in the ground as he faced off against a thoroughly amused dragon-youkai.

Movement on the periphery snapped her attention back to the threat much closer at hand as Narakage retracted his arm. Sota remained in place, his face pale, the sword still clenched tightly in his fist. "That was merely a warning, my dear Kikyo. Defy me again, and the next time I will shatter his heart." The appendage snaked towards her and seized hold of her ponytail. "Now, Kikyo… shall we become better acquainted?" he smirked and began dragging her across the planking.

"_No!_" Kagome cried out, catching hold of the railing to prevent being pulled any closer.

Narakage smiled very unpleasantly and cruelly twisted her hair. "You escaped me once, all those centuries ago… you and the Shikon-no-Tama… but not this time," he gloated, enjoying the terror saturating her scent like a foul miasma. _I hope the dog remains alive long enough to witness my triumph. _

Kagome gritted her teeth, refusing to let go of the railing despite the very real risk that she would lose a chunk of her scalp as another Kaze-no-Kizu shook the ground and caused a minor explosion out in the parking area. The pain that the dark-haired man was busy inflicting had a marvellous clearing effect on her mind. _If I time it right and let go when he pulls again, I should be able to flame this arrow and stake him with it before he knows what's happened._

"My patience grows short, Kikyo. End this pathetic resistance and embrace your destiny… or your brother dies." His other arm transformed into what appeared to be a bone trident and streaked towards Sota. As Kagome screamed, a veritable wall of powerful _youki_ blasted past her. The trident was sheared away from Narakage's arm and kicked aside, and then flashing claws reached for the hand buried in Kagome's hair. He jerked away just in time to avoid a double amputation, but a small section tangled in his fingers was torn out by the roots as the young woman's ponytail came loose.

"Keep your foul stench to yourself, _Naraku_," the newcomer hissed, flexing impressive twin sets of curved, foot-long claws.

Narakage heaved a dramatic sigh as he wriggled the stump of his arm until a new hand emerged from the living flesh. "The dog is as good as dead, and so are you, whoever you are. I will not be denied my rightful destiny a second time."

As Kagome noted the newly-arrived youkai's bright, clear aura, her unexpected defender gave a short, sharp laugh. "Your very _existence_ is an affront to the gods, and it is _my_ destiny to end you."

"You think so? A pathetic little creature like you?" Narakage jeered and threw his arms wide. "Go ahead… I invite you to 'end' me."

The youkai spat a virulent epithet and moved almost faster than the eye could follow. Narakage smiled darkly as a sharpened tentacle erupted from the centre of his chest and skewered his opponent. Retracting his flesh until they were almost eye-to-eye, he sneered, "I should absorb you now as a penalty, but instead, I'll allow you to live with the knowledge that you failed to protect your humans." His prey didn't waste effort on a reply; instead she slashed at his throat with one set of claws while stripping skin and muscle from Narakage's face with the other.

His bloodied visage contorted with rage, he flung the youkai into the wall next to Sota and attempted to spike the creature with another tentacle, but the teen hacked off the tip with his sword. "You didn't learn your lesson the first time, little boy," Narakage snarled, suddenly appearing much less human as his face contorted and an entire nest of tentacles burst from his torso.

"_No you don't!_" Brilliant pink energy exploded around Kagome and the arrow that struck Narakage's chest instantly turned his body to ash, leaving only his head and a disembodied arm floating in mid-air.

What was left of his face registered shock and dismay, but when Kagome sighted down the shaft of another missile he murmured, "I shall truly enjoy making you pay for this, Kikyo," before turning into a wisp of dark vapour that dissipated before the flaring spiritual energy could torch it into nothingness. The charged arrow continued on its trajectory and briefly stuck, hissing violently, between two scales on Ryukotsusei's armoured flank.

The dragon ignored the mild stinging sensation. _**"Pathetic. I expected more from the Inu-no-Taisho's whelp,"**_ Ryukotsusei commented lazily, his tail lashing perilously close to the main house. _**"Your lord father would be most disappointed in your efforts… but really, what can one reasonably expect of a mere hanyou?"**_

Sha was too relieved that Kagome had escaped Naraku and stunned that Buyo had revealed herself to work up a suitable insult for the towering dragon-youkai. _Now I can concentrate on this asshole, and not a moment too soon!_

Ryukotsusei's mouth opened, overflowing with a huge fireball of orange demonic energy. Sha was already on the move, trying to lead the strike away from Kagome and the others. The earth disappeared under his heels and the concussion sent him rolling across the ground in a hail of gravel, but he was up on his feet and ready to take advantage of the next attack.

"_**Give my regards to your father… in hell!"**_ the dragon-youkai mocked, his _jyaki_ flaring as another strike built up inside his body.

"Say hello to him yourself, asshole!" Sha crouched, waiting, and when the next crackling attack sped towards him, he leapt into the teeth of the firestorm. _C'mon, Tetsusaiga! Show the fucker your true power! _ The great sword pulsed in his hands, its _youki_ whirling around the blade. Concentrating until he could see the vortex of demonic energy in the heart of the blast, Sha unleashed Tetsusaiga in a mighty swing. "_Bakuryuha!_"

"That fool dog! What does he think he's _doing_?" the injured youkai snarled as the Tetsusaiga's super-charged aura burrowed deeply inside Ryukotsusei's rapidly-expanding fireball. "Lady Kagome! Take cover!" she ordered, shielding Sota with her body. Instead, the young woman seized Tetsusaiga's scabbard, almost forgotten in the melee, and placed the wooden sheath between them and the maelstrom of demonic energy.

The seething _youki_ dramatically contracted into five distinct orange and gold tornados. Roaring across the rubble, they rapidly chewed into Ryukotsusei's enormous bulk like diamond-edged saw blades and his screams could be only faintly heard above the Bakuryuha's deep-throated roar. Glistening chunks of flesh thudded to the ground in arcing sprays of oily blood… and in the sudden quiet after the Tetsusaiga's attack dissipated, something smashed inside a storeroom. A chill wind picked up, stirring the silver hair of the hanyou standing in the midst of steaming piles of deceased dragon-youkai. Kagome rose to her feet as Ryukotsusei's body turned grey, the outlines softening, then blew away in a macabre snowstorm of ash.

"I'm amazed he didn't manage to bring the building down on our heads," muttered the unknown youkai. "Are you all right, Lord Sota? My thanks for making quick work of that tentacle."

"Ah, er… no problem. Um, thanks for saving my life," he replied cautiously.

"It was my pleasure, my lord." A slender hand, now devoid of razor-sharp claws, came up to brush flowing black-tipped chestnut hair out of pale celadon-green eyes. When the youkai attempted to push itself up to sitting, Kagome moved to assist. "Thank you, my lady."

"What's with all this 'lord' and 'lady' stuff?" Sota asked. "Who _are_ you, and how do you know us?"

The youkai lowered her remarkable eyes. "I am Buyo, my lord."

Both Sota's and Kagome's jaws hit the planking, but it was the teen who first managed to stammer, "B-b-buyo? As in likes-to-sleep-in-my-sock-drawer-Buyo?"

"Yes," she replied primly as she tried to find a comfortable position.

The teenager was aghast as he surveyed Buyo's frankly feminine humanoid form and tried to square it away with the chubby furball that curled up under the blankets with him on cold evenings. "B-b-but I _petted_ you," he spluttered, turning as red as the fire-rat lining of Sha's jacket.

The cat-youkai managed a smile that was possibly supposed to be reassuring, but a length of sharp fang slipped out as she grimaced in pain. "It pleased me to permit the intimacy, my lord, so do not trouble yourself. Lady Kagome, could you do something about _that_?" She pointed at the bone trident, which had dissolved into a quivering lump of flesh.

"_Eeyew_… one purification arrow coming right up!"

As Kagome fried the vestige of their attacker, Sha bounded up the steps, his sword's blade still wreathed in white vapour. "That's one helluva hole in your guts, kitty," he commented off-handedly.

"Better in me than in either Lord Sota or Lady Kagome," Buyo retorted. "I can also confirm that was indeed Naraku; his scent was unmistakeable."

"Wait… you _knew_ that Miss Buyo was a youkai?" Kagome demanded sharply of Sha.

"Two sets of claws are better than one."

In the following silence, the wailing emergency sirens from the surrounding neighbourhood appeared abnormally loud. Kagome gave Sha a look that promised more difficult questions later before wondering, "Do you think Mom and Grandpa are all right?"

"Depends where this Mr. Yoshida's house is located," Sha gruffly replied, extracting Tetsusaiga's scabbard from Kagome's grip. Sota gasped as the massive blade shrank back to its original dimensions and fitted sleekly inside the ancient wooden sheath, but before he could say anything, someone else arrived on the scene.

"_Uncle!_"

"_Mishi!_"

"Aw, _hell_…." Sha grumbled wearily as he leaned on the railing. "There goes the fucking neighbourhood."

Two figures barrelled over the ruined _torii_ gate and made straight for them, slowing to a jog and then a walk as they skirted the jagged gashes and mounds of rubble.

"_Holy gods_, Uncle," Tsugane breathed as he reached the foot of the stairs, staring at the destruction. "If _those_ trenches mark the Kaze-no-Kizu, then _that_ must be from the Bakuryuha." He pointed at the scoured grooves twisting across the earth where the multiple whirlwinds of _youki_ energy had literally shredded Ryukotsusei.

Tenmaru folded his arms as he looked Sha up and down. "What happened to your concealment spell, Uncle?"

"Tetsusaiga blew off a little steam," he replied evasively.

"Better do something about it before someone sees you."

"No shit?"

"Um… sorry to interrupt, but we should move Miss Buyo into the house," Kagome said firmly. "People from the neighbourhood often come up here to shelter from aftershocks."

"There won't _be_ any aftershocks, Mishi," Tsugane immediately protested. "This wasn't the usual sort of earthquake."

"The local humans won't know that," Tenmaru pointed out. Casting an appraising glance over the damaged courtyard, he added, "Luckily Uncle missed the house, or we _would_ be in a tight spot."

Sota, his ears still scarlet, recovered from his acute embarrassment enough to query, "Is Mr. Nishiki _really_ your uncle? That means you're…."

"Yes, we are, and he's well-preserved for his age," Tsugane winked before turning serious. Dropping to one knee before Buyo, he said, "I am Tsugane Nishiki from the Western House, and that is my younger brother Tenmaru. Permission to assist, my lady?"

He was fixed by a sharp green eye. "Yes, you may, pup."

The dog-hanyou bowed his head in acknowledgement, then rapidly scooped the taller cat-youkai into his arms. "This may not fit your personal image of the bloodied but unbowed warrior, my lady, but it is far more expedient to protect you from curious eyes," he replied briskly and Buyo swallowed her objections. Mentally smirking at the formidable pout she sported, Tsugane had the good sense to not reveal his amusement as he carried her towards the house.

Tenmaru held out his hand to Sota, who had been included in Tsugane's introductions. "You're looking a little the worse for wear yourself," he commented, fingering the large hole in the teen's sweatshirt as he assisted him to his feet. "Leave the sword, though. We'll deal with it later."

"I'm gonna have a huge bruise on my butt, and my shoulders are really sore, but Buyo… I mean, _Miss_ Buyo… took the worst of it," Sota replied cheerfully enough as he handed over the weapon, but they all saw the grimace as he tried to straighten.

"Miss Higurashi, you and Uncle should come inside as well, until he can do something about his concealment spell." Tenmaru leant Sota his arm and guided the teen down the stairs.

"I need to contact Mom," Kagome fretted. "She has to prepare Gramps for the mess… hey, why didn't all the damages repair themselves, like after Mistress Centipede?" she asked, looking to Sha.

"Because Uncle's sword caused quite a few of them… it's a dimensional thing," Tenmaru replied. "What sort of youkai was it? Father said the _jyaki_ levels were the highest he could remember in a very long time."

"There were two of them, actually; one was Ryukotsusei," Sha supplied as he and Kagome followed.

"_Seriously_? But… he was sealed at least five dimensions away from this one!" He gazed at Sha with open admiration. "You did Grandfather one better, Uncle. Even he only managed to seal the brute… and paid for it with his life."

"Keh."

"I wonder how Ryukotsusei managed to break his seal?" the younger dog-hanyou mused as he helped Sota manoeuvre around yet another rocky trench.

"Naraku."

Tenmaru stumbled, but caught himself and Sota in time to prevent a nasty tumble. "Father must be informed," he said in a hushed whisper.

"We'll get right on that, as soon as we know Mrs. Higurashi and the old man are safe," Sha growled. Taking Kagome by the elbow, he ushered her inside the house through the tumbled contents of the foyer, where they discovered Buyo and Tsugane engaged in a lively wrangle in the hallway. The cat-youkai was still ensconced in the dog-hanyou's arms and didn't look very happy about it. "What's the hold-up?"

"My lady feels that a kitchen chair is adequate for her recovery, while I am of the opinion that she would be far more comfortable lying down," Tsugane supplied patiently, while Buyo looked murderously petulant.

"Upstairs… my room," Kagome declared, leading the way. "You, too, Sota."

"Lady Kagome!" Buyo protested, but the young woman shook her head.

"You risked your life for us, Miss Buyo. It's the least we can do," she replied firmly, opening her bedroom door. The shambles that greeted her only slowed her down a moment; she quickly swept the stuffed animals and trophies off her bed so that Tsugane could deposit his furiously-objecting armload.

"You won't stain the bedding because the entry and exit wounds are already sealed, and your robes have cleaned themselves… so lay down before I have Mishi slap a restraining sutra on your cantankerous butt," he genially threatened while Tenmaru assisted Sota to a seat on Kagome's desk chair.

As the brothers exited the room, Kagome smiled brightly at the disgruntled cat-youkai and her brother. "If the gas lines are intact, I'll put on a kettle for tea. There's a _shogi_ board under my desk if you want something to do."

Buyo tried one last pleading look, but the young woman shook her head and closed the door, leaving the youkai and the teenager alone in awkward silence. "Do you want black or white?" Sota finally asked, awkwardly sliding off the chair to retrieve the game board, moving aside several spilled textbooks to reach it.

She hesitated a moment. "White; you may go first, Lord Sota," she finally sighed, then patted the bed beside her. "Set the game board here; we might as well make ourselves comfortable."

He smiled shyly as he arranged the chess pieces. "You were really awesome today… _so_ cool how you sliced and diced that creep!"

"My thanks, Lord Sota… your move."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Downstairs, Kagome arrived in the kitchen in time to hear Tsugane ask, "Sure you don't want me to help you with that, Uncle?"

"Fuck off, brat. You'd give me green hair, orange eyes and a skin condition," Sha growled. His necklace was in his hand and as she watched, he murmured a rapid-fire sequence of sounds that might have been archaic Japanese and then repeated the same phrase several times. The beads glowed on and off with each repetition, the quality of light intensifying as the spells strengthened.

She couldn't help glancing curiously at the watching brothers; Tsugane elbowed Tenmaru, who immediately pushed up his sleeve and removed his watch while Tsugane unbuckled his belt. Kagome gasped when Tenmaru's spiky hair turned silver, a pale blue crescent moon appeared on his forehead, his eyes flashed golden, his human ears became slightly pointed… and a silvery tail waved next to his thigh. "Wow…" she said admiringly, then turned her attention to Tsugane. Velvety white canine ears swivelled in her direction, and a fang poked out of his smirk below dramatic dark-blue striping on his cheeks and bronze-gold eyes. "_Wow!_ Can sure tell that you three are related!" A crackling, tinkling sound caught her attention, just in time to see a dark-haired Tenmaru dumping a dustpan brimming with broken crockery into the garbage can… and then she noticed that all the cupboard doors were ajar. "How…?" she asked, bewildered.

"If the damage to inanimate objects was caused directly by Ryukotsusei's attacks, it was repaired when the dimensional rift closed," Tenmaru answered, scooping up another load of shards after separating out sealed packages of pantry items. "However, collateral damage remains, such as materials jarred loose in the earthquake caused by his passage, or traffic accidents resulting from those tremors."

Tsugane secured his belt, then dumped out and neatly stacked several pots before shoving them back under the counter. "Uncle's use of the Tetsusaiga didn't help matters, because its attacks directly affect this dimension." Kagome nodded, but it was apparent that her mind was elsewhere. A concerned frown creased her brow as she scanned the broken dishes and glassware. "Something wrong, Mishi?"

"Did you see a tanuki cup anywhere?" she urgently demanded. Tenmaru and Tsugane's search quickly produced an intact, goggle-eyed pottery mug from the cupboard next to the sink. "Thank _goodness_," Kagome exhaled.

Tenmaru eyed the homely item before handing it over. "There must be a story behind this," he commented neutrally.

"When I was very small, my father brought home a set of two cups as a gag gift for Mom. She served their morning tea in them to return the joke. But… somehow it became a tradition." Kagome paused, her eyes downcast, her scent radiating sadness. "One of the pair broke just before he died."

"And your lady mother continues to drink her tea every morning out of it, in honour of his memory," Tsugane finished, his tone very gentle.

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she nodded, then quickly changed the subject. "I'll phone Mr. Yoshida's house to see if Grandpa is still there or if Mom's picked him up already. Is the gas on? I promised Miss Buyo and Sota a cup of tea."

While Tenmaru swept a path for Kagome to reach the wall phone, Tsugane checked for a pilot light and then turned on the kitchen tap. "Everything seems to be in working order… where's the kettle?"

"Cupboard beneath the cook top," she replied. Running her finger down the neat rows of telephone numbers, looking for her grandfather's crabbed scrawl, she absently rubbed at a sore spot on her scalp… and noticeably flinched.

Tsugane was immediately at her side. "What's wrong, Mishi?"

"Oh, nothing, really. Narakage… I mean, _Naraku_… tore out a hunk of my hair, so my skin's a bit tender," she replied, wincing at the sting.

"Let me see." After a careful inspection, he pronounced, "Just a minor injury… no need to amputate."

"Thanks for your expert diagnosis, Dr. Ichiko," she snorted, neither of them noticing Sha's dark expression.

Tsugane grinned cheekily. "Tenmaru's always been better than me at the domestic stuff, so he can stay in here and help clean up the house." As his younger brother shot him a mildly panicked look, he breezily continued, "I'm gonna start filling in those trenches outside before either your family returns or the neighbours arrive. Coming, Uncle?"

"Keh."

The elder hanyou followed the younger out of the room without a backwards glance, the newly-recharged necklace dangling from Tetsusaiga's hilt. Kagome returned to locating the phone number while Tenmaru filled the kettle and fiddled with the knobs on the cook top. "Something wrong?" she asked when he seemed unable to decipher the element diagram.

He gave her a rueful smile. "Despite Brother's assurances, I'm afraid that kitchen appliances and myself are no more than casual acquaintances, Miss Higurashi. We have a cook who deals with mundane activities like making tea."

"No time like the present to expand your knowledge base," she teased before asking, "Oh, heck… did the teapot survive?"

"It appears so, and enough cups as well," Tenmaru replied, looking in the open cupboards. "The tea, however, is missing in action."

"That metal canister," Kagome directed as she found the number and began dialling. "Only two small spoonfuls… oh, hello? Mr. Yoshida? It's Kagome Higurashi… we're all fine… yes, including the, er, cat. No, no… we were shaken up but unhurt… there's road closures? Um, is my mother there? Oh… I see. That's very kind of you, Mr. Yoshida. Please ask my mother to call when she returns with your wife from shopping."

As she replaced the receiver in the cradle Tenmaru asked, "What's the word on damages?"

"Localized power outages and road closures due to broken water mains, but no loss of life. Mr. and Mrs. Yoshida have insisted that Mom and Gramps stay with them tonight."

"That'll give us time to clean up," the dog-hanyou said. "We can start on the storerooms, at least… after you and I deal with the house."

Working together while the kettle boiled, they moved the table, chairs and refrigerator back into their usual spots and put the kitchen into reasonable working condition. Tenmaru then discovered that several of the pictures had fallen off the chest in the _tatami_ room, and he spent some time picking up minute shards of broken glass while Kagome prepared the tea and carefully rinsed and wiped out the cups to make sure no one received a sharp-edged surprise. When he entered the kitchen to dispose of the glass, she asked, "Would you please serve these to Miss Buyo and Sota? I'll take the others outside to Mr. Nishiki and Ichiko."

He complied after offering, "Brother and I will supply dinner, Miss Higurashi; I'm sure we can find an unaffected restaurant within a reasonable distance."

"Great idea! Let me know before you leave… wait, why didn't the barrier react when you arrived? Come to think of it, why doesn't Mr. Nishiki set it off?"

"There's a defensive barrier? Hn… it must be triggered by _jyaki_, not _youki_, because Father has visited the shrine in the past without incident. We can test it later to find out." Lifting the tray of brimming cups, he cocked his head in the direction of the ceiling. "Playing _Go_, are they?"

"_Shogi_, actually."

"Sounds like it's a rather exciting match," he grinned as he headed towards the stairs.

Flicking on the outside switch as she left the foyer, Kagome was relieved to see the grounds flood with light. _Don't want to fall into one of those ditches if I can help it!_ As she picked her way across the broken pavement, she realized that only Tsugane was working; Sha was nowhere to be seen. Handing over a cup, she asked, "Where's Mr. Nishiki?"

Tsugane took a sip of the steaming tea before gravely replying, "He's in mourning, so he took some time to compose himself."

"Eh… what?"

Maintaining a solemn expression, he pointed across the courtyard. "I'm afraid that one of the casualties of Uncle's Kaze-no-Kizu was his dearly beloved motorcycle."

"Uh-oh." Kagome squinted at the twisted hunks of metal and rubber lying crumpled on either side of a deep trench. "He's not going to be very happy about _that_…."

"He'd be lighting incense for sure… if it didn't make him sneeze."

"Where is he?"

"Leave him be, Mishi. Uncle's naturally sunny disposition has taken a definite turn for the cranky." She arched her brows, waiting; he sighed and indicated the looming bulk of the Goshinboku. "Don't say I didn't warn you…." Kagome winked before retracing her steps until she was out of Tsugane's sight around the corner of the house. The dog-hanyou shook his head at her determination and returned to shifting dirt and broken pavement.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome stopped at the picket fence surrounding the base of the ancient tree and peered into the shadowed foliage. Holding up the cup by way of explanation, she called,

"Mr. Nishiki…? I brought you some tea." There was no answer, but she could definitely detect a Sha-sized 'hot spot' of _youki_ about fifteen feet above her head near the trunk. The hanyou remained silent, so after a few moments Kagome crouched to place the cup next to a fence post. "I'll leave it here for you; it'll cool off pretty fast without a lid, though… _eep_!"

As she straightened, she nearly fell over backwards because Sha was suddenly in front of her in a flurry of silver, his golden eyes glowing in the gathering twilight. The cup tipped over instead, sending fragrant rivulets across the paving. "I'm sorry, Miss Higurashi," he said tightly.

"I-it's only tea, Mr. Nishiki," she replied, attempting to cover her flustered reaction by retrieving the cup. "No harm done."

"That's not what I meant."

Her glance strayed to the Tetsusaiga, and when she saw his white-knuckled grip on the sword's scabbard, she softly asked, "What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard, looking away for a long moment before answering in a low voice, "I swore he wouldn't touch a hair on your head."

The young woman's eyes went wide. "I didn't take you _literally_," she exclaimed. When he shook his head, she stepped in front of him, planted her hand in the centre of his chest and insisted, "I _didn't_." Trying to catch his averted gaze, she added, "Neither should _you_."

The hanyou wouldn't meet her eyes. "He touched you, and I couldn't do a damned thing about it! I _failed_ to protect you!" he snarled.

"He brought a freakin' _dragon_ with him! You didn't have a choice; you _had _to fight Ryu-whatsis!" Kagome declared forcefully, prodding his chest for emphasis. "You didn't fail _anything_, because I'm alive and unhurt!" She startled into silence when his warm hand closed around hers and squeezed gently, holding it against his heart.

"I can't take it… I can't _stand_ the thought of Naraku even _looking_ at you, never mind touching you!" he rasped, meeting her gaze for the first time, and the depth of anguish darkening his expression held Kagome in place even more surely than his grip on her hand as he bent towards her.

When his head tilted, his gaze dropping to her lips, it took her a moment to understand his intent. _Wha… what… what is he __doing__? He isn't… he wouldn't…is he?_

Sha's lips were a hair's-breadth away from hers when he registered the panic in her scent at the same time as someone said, "We could use your help… _crap_. Um, sorry? _Please_ don't kill me, Uncle."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N:** _Kaze-no-Kizu_ = Wind Scar; the Tetsusaiga's signature attack.

_Tsuba_ are the circular metal guards that protect the hand(s) of Japanese swordsman. Placed between the blade and the hilt, the disc acts as a 'stop' to prevent an opponent's weapon from sliding up the blade; beautifully ornamented examples are sought after by collectors as works of art in their own right.

_Bakuryuha_ = Backlash Wave (anime) or Crushing Stream (VIZ manga), the Tetsusaiga's so-called 'ultimate move'… at least until it acquired a whole bunch of other nifty attacks later in the canon storyline.


	7. Collateral Complications

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **This chapter takes place from 'Thursday' night to 'Friday' afternoon in the fic's timeline… only about five days after Sha and Kagome first set eyes on each other at the Setsubun celebrations.

**Bouquets** to my CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** WAFF, coarse language, violence.

**The Price**

**Chapter Seven: Collateral Complications**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome pulled her hand free and retreated; she could hardly meet Sha's confusion and disappointment as he growled, "I'll be right there."

"A few human lookie-loos have also arrived," Tsugane added helpfully before fleeing back around the corner of the house.

An errant evening breeze turned the hanyou's hair into a swirling silver curtain as he curtly muttered, "Better help the brats," while pulling his concealment anchor off Tetsusaiga's hilt.

She watched him drop the necklace over his head and work his hair free with impatient movements as silver bled away into darkness and gold turned to violet. "Let me," she offered hesitantly, feeling oddly like she should apologize.

"I got it." However, he was having trouble tightening the cord without letting go of Tetsusaiga, so Kagome sucked up her courage and approached anyways. Sha let his hands drop, his expression unreadable.

With fingers that only slightly trembled, she reached up around his neck and deftly shortened the necklace. "I wish that you didn't have to wear this," she murmured, tucking the _magatama_ inside the neckline of his shirt.

"As long as _you_ know what I am, I don't give a shit about anyone else," he replied gruffly. Kagome managed a small smile as she stepped back, but Sha didn't return it. Gesturing with Tetsusaiga to indicate that she should precede him towards the house, he escorted her to the foyer door.

"Um, Mr. Nibanko offered to pick up dinner for all of us," Kagome said when he slid open the metal panel.

"First good idea the brat's had in about fifty years."

"Er, do you want my help with the storeroom?"

"Not right now. It's best if you stay inside with the cat and your brother in case something else decides to try its luck tonight."

"May I ask how long you've known about Miss Buyo?"

"Since Mistress Centipede," he replied shortly, but then elaborated, "She's the one who bandaged us up. Stick close to her, because even injured she's a formidable opponent."

"She's also the reason why you left Mom and Gramps in the house while we fought Yura, right?" When he nodded, she remembered her earlier conversation with Tenmaru. "Why didn't Yura set off the barrier when she crossed it? Her _jyaki _was really strong!"

Sha reluctantly considered the question for a moment. "Good question. Maybe the fence marks the barrier's boundary on this side of the grounds? We can check later, but that makes sense why she lured us into the forest." Inclining his head, he shut the door before she could say anything else and headed across the courtyard to where his nephews were almost finished smoothing dirt over the Bakuryuha's twisting tracks.

Wary of the older hanyou's dark expression and darker scent, and assuming the ire was directed at him, Tsugane kept his head down as he asked, "Can you secure the storehouse? The open door seems to be attracting undue interest." A small group of teenagers loitered near the main shrine building, watching the clean up operation but not offering to help. Sha nodded and continued across the courtyard, swinging his thrumming sword in a casual manner, but the teens were smart enough to take the hint and sloped off towards the ruined _torii_ gate.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome washed the tea cups with extra care, mindful of her shaky grip. Glancing out the kitchen window, she frowned at Sha's tall figure as he spoke to his nephews. _I can't believe that he tried to kiss me! I mean, it's only been a few days since we fought Mistress Centipede!_ Picking up a dish towel, she began briskly drying, until the memory of the hanyou's expression slowed her movements. _He was so upset because he thought he'd failed… he takes his promises very seriously._

Setting the cups aside, she brought out the dinner bowls and submerged them in the sink to make sure they were free of glass shards. Going through the familiar motions of washing, rinsing and drying allowed her mind to wander back to the situation under consideration and admit the main reason for her panicked retreat. _He loved Kikyo enough to sacrifice everything that he is for her. When he looked at me like that, I wondered if he was apologizing to me... or her?_

She continued feeling sorry for herself until she remembered Sha's comment from the previous night and his words suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. _I'm 'nothing like her', so maybe… maybe that means Ichiko's right? Sha __does__ see me?_ She again looked out the window to see the hanyou moving purposefully towards the half-dozen teenagers hanging around the main shrine. Bracing her hands on the counter, she hung her head. _He was worried about __me__. _ _I am __such__ an idiot._

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Tapping Tetsusaiga against his leg as he watched the teens leave, Sha turned on his heel and ascended the steps to the veranda while determinedly _not_ thinking about Kagome's reaction. Scooping Yura's weapon on the way, he crouched a respectful distance from the case that had entombed his sword for so many centuries and eyeballed the blade against the existing indentation. _I can't remember if the bitch had a scabbard or not; I'll check the forest later because that'll make it a helluva lot easier for me if I don't have to go looking for one tomorrow._

Wary of another encounter with the case's barrier sutras, he used Yura's sword to poke the box around the doorframe. Peering inside the room, Sha made a face at the tangled mess and the hole punched in the opposite wall. Flicking the wall switch, the damage looked even worse in the dim, yellowed light of the single bulb. _This'll take a few hours; hope there aren't any more bespelled containers in there!_

Turning the light back off and securing the wooden panel, he tucked the swords under his arm, cleared the staircase in a single jump and headed towards his nephews, who were having a discussion over the bisected carcass of his motorcycle. "What's up?"

Tenmaru bowed. "We were thinking of giving it a battlefield burial, Uncle."

"Suit yourself. You called your old man?"

"He'll be by later."

"I can't believe that Naraku reared his head so openly," Tsugane muttered. "He's amazingly confident."

"Amazingly fucking _arrogant_, you mean." Sha ground his teeth in memory of the utter hopelessness that had swept over him once he recognized Naraku; his nephews edged away from his flaring _youki_ and hastily set about entombing the machine in the deepest part of the trench. "You two go find dinner; I'll stand guard."

"I'll stay with you, Uncle," Tenmaru offered. "We don't know if Naraku has indeed retired from the field, and Lady Buyo is not fully recovered."

"Whatever." Sha pulled his wallet from his jacket and extracted several large-denomination yen notes. Handing them to Tsugane, he growled, "Don't forget the ramen."

The younger dog-hanyou kept a very straight face as he pocketed the cash. "I value my life, Uncle." Dusting off his hands, he loped across the courtyard and vaulted over the pile of collapsed timbers at the top of the staircase.

"Should we clean that up?" Tenmaru ventured, pointing at the remains of the _torii_. "It isn't much of a deterrent."

"I ain't stopping' ya."

Shooting Sha a look, Tenmaru crossed to the gateway and heaved the splintered wood aside into a more or less neat pile before asking," Now what?"

"You're gonna guard the house while I go looking for a missing scabbard," the hanyou replied, brandishing Yura's blade by way of explanation as he turned away. Tenmaru stifled a sigh as he followed in his uncle's footsteps until he broke off to circle the house while Sha made straight for the fence behind the Goshinboku.

Just before he ducked between the crossbars, he remembered Kagome's question and decided to test the theory. Loosening the restraints on his _jyaki_, he extended his hand towards the boundary. The resulting burst of spiritual energy threw him nearly twenty feet and brought Tenmaru racing around the corner of the house as Kagome's bedroom window slammed open. Sha picked himself up, gingerly testing his arm and shoulder for damages while Tenmaru looked back and forth between his uncle and the fence. "What happened? I sensed your _jyaki_ and then… _boom_!"

Sha flexed his neck in an attempt to ease a painful crick before addressing the area at large rather than risking meeting Kagome's eyes as she hung out of her window. "The fence is definitely the boundary line and it's definitely triggered by _jyaki_."

Tenmaru edged closer to the innocent-looking wooden fence and knelt to inspect the ground. Sniffing deeply, he zeroed in on one spot and cautiously brushed at the dirt. "Metal stakes hammered into the earth," he exclaimed. "They are extremely old."

"Probably etched with anti-youkai spells; lucky I only grazed the barrier with my fingers," Sha muttered.

"Naraku had to use a dragon-youkai to cross it," Kagome reminded them from above. "Unless he can scrounge up another one, we're safe tonight."

"Won't do a thing to stop an evil human, though," Sha observed.

Tenmaru daringly waved his hand over the buried stake, but nothing happened since he wasn't quite brave enough to fully test it. "What sort of spell do you think was used, Uncle?"

"More than likely an old-fashioned 'Demon Begone', but the priest who cast it had enough spiritual power for several people. Probably the same one who sealed the Tetsusaiga." The hanyou slipped through the crossbars, causing a minor crackle of blue sparks, but nothing more serious. Arching a dark eyebrow as his nephew hastily retreated, he said, "Back in a few minutes, if I'm lucky."

Once Sha had disappeared into the undergrowth, Tenmaru addressed Kagome. "Brother should be back soon with dinner."

"All right."

Even though she didn't ask, the young hanyou felt compelled to add, "Uncle has gone to retrieve a scabbard."

Sota's dark head popped up. "I know where it… _crap_. He's already gone."

"I'm surprised that the barrier allowed the sword to cross," Kagome commented, without mentioning Sha's errand. "Did _you_ touch the scabbard?"

"Nope. The sword freaked me out enough when it had a hissy fit," her brother sheepishly replied.

"I'll make sure that we're ready by the time Ichiko returns," Kagome informed Tenmaru before closing the window, leaving him to wonder exactly _what_ had happened between his uncle and the young woman under the Goshinboku.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha arrived in the foyer just after Tsugane was enthusiastically welcomed and relieved of the food cartons and bags, so he quietly entered the hall and merely observed the activity in the _tatami_ room through the open shoji. Tenmaru graciously assisted Buyo to a seat at the low table; during the entire process, the cat-youkai didn't miss a beat of the lively dispute she was engaged in with Sota. Shifting slightly, the hanyou could see through the room into the kitchen due to the open screen on that side. Kagome bustled with bowls and cups and chopsticks; her bubbling laughter at some comment of Tsugane's made him scowl until she turned and caught sight of him, and her welcoming smile instantly lifted his mood.

"Come in, Uncle, before you lose your ramen to young Mr. Higurashi!" Tsugane joked, placing heaped serving dishes on the table.

"Keh. I can take 'im." Stepping into the room, he propped both swords in the corner closest to the wall niche and took an empty cushion.

"Not if you played a game of _shogi_ for the rights to the food," Buyo said, sipping her tea.

"Ah-ha! So you _do_ admit it!" Sota crowed. "I was _so_ whipping your butt before the game board 'accidentally' fell off the bed!"

"You _may_ have had the better of me by a move or two," she conceded.

"More like _twenty_," he chortled, scooping noodles and broth into his bowl and passed the ramen over to Sha.

"You were playing _shogi_ with Lady Buyo… in bed?" Tsugane asked with mock-consternation. "Brother, cover your ears! Such a brazen confession!" Amid the general laughter, he noticed Buyo eyeing the _tempura_ and passed over the plate. As Kagome took the last unoccupied cushion, which happened to be beside Sha, he jovially asked, "What do you fancy, Mishi? It's all guaranteed to be delicious!"

"Well," she said slowly, perusing the table until her gaze came to rest on Sha's prize. "I _was _going to have some ramen…."

"Help yourself," Sha replied without hesitation, sliding the serving bowl her way. There was a very long pause in the conversation as Kagome took advantage of his offer.

"Did you hear that, Brother?" Tenmaru asked in a hushed voice.

"I do believe I did," Tsugane replied, cupping his ear and cocking his head. "The sound of the world as we know it tottering on its foundations… _Uncle shared his ramen!_"

"Shut _up_," Sha snapped, his fiery glare turning briefly golden.

Kagome ignored them all as she thoughtfully slurped a noodle. "It _is_ awfully good ramen… but _oden_ is still better."

"Seriously, Mishi… I think Uncle just proposed," Tsugane insisted breathily, while Tenmaru clasped his hands to his chest and adopted a starry-eyed look. "We must tell Father to air out his formal robes!"

"What strange betrothal customs you follow in the House of the West," Buyo blandly commented, her pale green eyes twinkling. "If you need a go-between, Lady Kagome, I volunteer my services."

"Uh-uh. It's Gramps that has the mad negotiating skills," Sota grinned around a mouthful of food. "He drives such hard bargains that he's scared off all of Sis' potential husbands so far."

The brothers exchanged wolfish grins. "Our money's on Father if a bride price is being discussed!"

Buyo suddenly smiled, showing some very sharp teeth. "Now, that would be an entertaining encounter. You would, of course, have to remind the Western Lord that melting the other party to resolve a dispute is out of the question."

On the other side of the table, Sha muttered to Kagome, "You know they're just being idiots, right?"

She cheekily stole a pink-swirled slice of fish cake out of his bowl. "We'll get 'em back later," she promised, and suddenly they were back on the same side, the awkward moment under the Goshinboku apparently forgotten.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

A few hours after Kagome fielded a worried phone call from her mother, the dishes were cleared away and a grumbling Sota was relegated to doing homework under Buyo's sharp eye while the rest of the group coughed amidst the dust of the dimly-lit storerooms. Using lengths of broken shelving, Tsugane managed to board up the hole in the wall caused by Sha's explosive encounter with the Tetsusaiga's sealing sutras while Kagome helped Tenmaru sort the room's contents into 'destroyed' and 'salvageable' piles and Sha took a turn standing guard outside.

They were all out on the veranda taking a breather when the young woman froze, her head snapping up as she stared hard in the direction of the ruined _torii_ gate. "What is it, Miss Higurashi?" Tenmaru asked.

"Something's coming," she exclaimed, reaching for her bow and arrows.

Sha hefted Tetsusaiga, but recognized the _youki _energy bearing down on them at almost the same moment. "It's okay… I know this asshole." She looked at him in surprise but obeyed. After rolling their eyes at their uncle, Tsugane and Tenmaru straightened their clothing and dusted themselves off before taking up positions at the bottom of the stairs.

"Who is it?" Kagome asked quietly, watching their preparations.

"Their father," came the curt answer.

"You mean… your brother?"

"Half-brother." Sha made a show of stretching before folding his arms across his chest as if unconcerned, but Kagome noted the way his _youki _flared brighter against the evening darkness, not to mention the firm grip he had on Tetsusaiga. Therefore, she wasn't completely surprised when the hanyou subtly positioned himself between her and the approaching youkai… even if his words and actions made her wonder about their fraternal relationship.

A tall, slender, dark-haired figure appeared at the top of the stone staircase and glided soundlessly across the courtyard, trailing iridescent clouds of _youki_. Tsugane and Tenmaru bowed in perfect unison, holding their pose until the newcomer acknowledged them, and then approached. Tsugane gave a report, to which the tall man carefully listened, and then the brothers arranged themselves on either side like a pair of mismatched bookends and escorted him towards the watchers on the veranda.

As they reached the top of the stairs, the man's distinguished, middle-aged human appearance dissolved, revealing a knee-length curtain of silver hair, sharply pointed ears, vivid facial markings that included cheek stripes and a blue crescent moon blazoning his forehead, as well as a pair of intensely yellow eyes.

"Lord Sesshiro Nishiki, may I present Miss Kagome Higurashi?" Tsugane said in very formal tones; she hastily stepped clear of Sha and bowed… much to the hanyou's grumbled displeasure.

"Miss Higurashi," Sesshiro calmly intoned, cutting across Sha's peevishness. "Tsugane speaks well of you."

"Er… thank you?"

The concealment spell rippled back into place as Sesshiro turned his attention to Sha. "Well done," he stated, his gaze lingering on the Tetsusaiga.

"Came in handy," Sha said carelessly, but his posture was rigid.

Sesshiro turned his attention back to Kagome. "The House of the West offers its assistance to the Sunset Shrine for damages incurred by the battle." After she jerkily nodded her assent, he murmured as if to himself, "The Tetsusaiga may not be suited to this modern era after all."

Sha immediately bristled. "Like _hell _it isn't! I'll show you…."

"Where is the cat?" Sesshiro smoothly interrupted.

"Protecting Miss Higurashi's younger brother," Tenmaru answered.

"Summon her."

"At once, Father." Tenmaru fairly flew towards the house; Kagome was impressed by his speed even as she wondered about Buyo's likely response. _She was healed enough to eat something at dinner, so I suppose she can come out and meet him… if she feels like it, that is! _ The young woman had her answer a few minutes later when the cat-youkai exited the foyer and unhurriedly strolled towards them, her posture very erect, her pale eyes very bright… and streaming impressive contrails of _youki_.

"That cat has fucking _shitloads_ of power," Sha breathed. "Sess better watch himself."

"Why couldn't I see it before?" Kagome wondered, her eyes riveted on Buyo's brightly flaring aura.

"She's good at hiding it… _really_ fucking good. I'll bet her true form is as big as his."

"_True_ form?"

"Sess can turn into a dog about the same size as your house."

Kagome gave a low whistle. "Can _you_ do that?"

"Nope. Hanyou, remember?"

Buyo came to a stop about fifteen feet away from Sesshiro. The two youkai stared each other down for a long moment, their auras expanding like super-charged peacock tails until Buyo purred, "Western Lord," then relaxed her stance.

Sesshiro minutely inclined his head. "Shrine Guardian," he rumbled, and with that, the tension levels dropped dramatically, along with the size of their _youki_.

Immediately getting down to business, Buyo said, "I would welcome assistance to protect my humans and the Shikon Jewel."

The dog-youkai contemplated the middle distance for a moment. "Agreed."

"Only your very best. I will not tolerate sloppiness."

"Hn."

With an audible sniff, Buyo turned on her heel and stalked towards the house, her robes swishing in a very tail-like manner.

"Impossible creature," the dog-youkai observed once the door closed, "but honourable."

Sesshiro waited for Tenmaru to be freed from his impromptu guard duty and rejoin them before delegating responsibilities. "Tsugane, you will make the necessary arrangements, and Tenmaru, you will keep me informed." Casting Sha an appraising glance, Sesshiro added, "Do as you please," before nodding pleasantly enough to Kagome and making his departure. His sons escorted him to the top of the stairs where more words were exchanged before he disappeared into the night.

"Is he always so… terse?" the young woman asked in the following lull.

"Keh."

Concerned over the way Sha's _youki_ was practically crackling, Kagome lightly touched his arm. "What're you so upset about? I'm happy for the extra help to protect my family!"

"I just fucking _hate it_ when he does that… rolls in and takes over, like I'm fucking _incompetent_."

"Is he older than you?"

"What the hell does _that_ have to do with anything?"

She smiled. "Trust me on this… I'm a big sister, and it's part of the job description to annoy your younger siblings with your inherent superiority. Bet he thumped you pretty hard when you were kids but wouldn't let anyone else go after you."

The hanyou shot her an incredulous look. "Our old man died when I was just a little runt, and Sess was _totally_ fucking pissed that I was left the Tetsusaiga. He had an attitude for fucking _decades, _and I took off as soon as I figured out how to unleash the Kaze-no-Kizu. Keh. Wouldn't have ended up pinned to that fucking tree if it wasn't for his fucking attitude…."

"Maybe… he was angry at your father? Not you?" she suggested.

"What shit are you talkin' _now_?"

"Maybe his pride took a beating when you were given such a powerful weapon, because it appeared that your father didn't think that _he_ was strong enough to protect you?"

Sha's jaw dropped. "That's fucking _ridiculous_!"

Kagome shrugged. "You'll always be his little brother… Sota's taller than me now and a lot stronger, but I still try to protect him because that's my job as the eldest."

"You're fucking _insane_."

"Possibly. I've questioned my sanity quite a few times today, what with dragon-youkai trashing the neighbourhood and finding out that my cat is actually six feet tall and has bikini-idol curves." She winked, and he could only shake his head as the brothers approached the veranda.

Tsugane snapped shut his cell phone. "The extra security will be here in a few minutes, and the resurfacing crew arrives in the morning," he said. "Why don't you call it a night, Mishi? There'll be extra hands available tomorrow to continue with the storerooms."

"I should… otherwise I'll be a wreck in class…."

"You're taking the day off," he immediately responded. Holding up his hand to forestall the inevitable objections, he added, "I'll take the notes for you, because you really need to be here when your family arrives."

Kagome exhaled and nodded. "All right." Rolling her shoulders, she sighed heavily. "My archery practice schedule has been completely shot these last couple of days; I'm gonna tank at regionals!" Tenmaru stepped up to offer Kagome his hand as she descended the stairs, but stopped in his tracks when Sha growled warningly. She glanced over her shoulder. "Sounds like someone _else_ could use a decent night's sleep," she commented and then flashed Tenmaru a smile. "Thanks, Mr. Nibanko, but I can walk to the house by myself. G'night, everyone."

The three hanyou watched her go; the door had barely closed when a couple dozen dog-youkai appeared out of the shadows and saluted. Tsugane took charge and issued orders, dispersing the newcomers around the perimeter of the grounds. Once they were situated to his satisfaction, he approached Sha, who had not moved from his position on the veranda. "Uncle? What will you do?"

"What else? Stay here and keep an eye on those idiots."

Tsugane ignored the insult to his father's hand-picked troops. "Very well. Brother will return at first light with the work crews. I'll stop by after class with Mishi's notes; good night, Uncle."

"Where the hell are _you_ going?"

"Father has posted sentries at Mother's home as well, but I want to check for myself."

"You're as anal as your old man."

"We first-borns are all alike," he smirked, and fled with Tenmaru hot on his heels.

Sha scowled darkly after his nephews, but the effect was lost since they didn't turn around. _Dammit… when did this get so fucking complicated?_ Closing up the storeroom, he left Yura's sword in its scabbard inside the door, ready to masquerade as the Tetsusaiga. _Hopefully the old man won't notice that it's slightly shorter._

Bounding down the stairs, he made a circuit of the grounds. Ending up under the Goshinboku, he considered the lights on in both Sota's and Kagome's rooms and decided to go for altitude. Launching himself into the branches, he settled on one with a view of Kagome's window. The curtains were open; she was already dressed in her pink kitten pyjamas and brushing out her hair. He allowed himself to be lulled by watching the rhythmic strokes even as another part of his brain happily reminded him of the softness of those same dark tresses.

He couldn't see her bed on his angle, so lightly pouted when she slipped under the covers and turned off her bedside light. _Keh. How come the damn cat gets to guard her from inside, while the dog is stuck outside… up the fucking tree, no less?_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**The next day…**_

Sota decided to take the day off from school on the grounds of his bruises and the 'earthquake damage' to the shrine, so after helping Kagome clean up the sanctuary as well as by their bedrooms, he worked on forging new sealing sutras for the case that now held Yura's sword. Sha had disappeared on an errand when Tenmaru arrived with the work crews that morning, and returned in the early afternoon with a zippered leather case slung across his back as he supervised the stonemasons.

"Is that going to work?" Sota asked sceptically when they met at the bottom of the stairs in the late afternoon, indicating the Tetsusaiga's new carrying case. "It'll slow down your release time."

Sha shrugged. "I'd rather wear it at my hip, but that'll attract too much attention."

Nodding, the teen held up the fake sutras. "How do they look?"

"So long as they fool your grandfather, they'll do. Where's your sister?" Sha glanced around the courtyard, where broken pavement was being carted away, the ground prepared and fresh paving stones fitted with impressive speed and precision.

"Inside with Buyo, tidying up Mom's and Grandpa's rooms; Mom phoned a little while ago to say they were on their way. I'll be back in a minute." Waving the fake sutras, he jogged up the steps and disappeared into the storeroom while Sha surveyed the activity and had to grudgingly admit the value… again… of being a member of the Western House. He was contemplating the far more enjoyable topic of replacing his motorcycle when Tenmaru arrived at his elbow.

"Once they're finished laying the paving stones, the gravel can be brought in. We're making good time." Seating himself on the stairs, he ventured, "You know, Uncle, it wouldn't be a bad idea if Miss Higurashi were to move away from the Shrine for the foreseeable future."

"What're you driving at?"

The young dog-hanyou stared at his hands, because that was safer than meeting Sha's penetrating gaze. "If she remains here, the attacks are only going to escalate. Lady Buyo is more than capable, and Father has assigned some of his best to guard duty… and you are here, of course… but if there is an attack by massed forces, people will _die_."

"I _know_." Sha sat down next to his nephew and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Out with it… what did your old man say?"

Tenmaru squirmed. "He suggested that the Western House should take Miss Higurashi into protective custody."

Sha let out a derisive snort. "Like she'd agree to _that_."

"Brother said exactly the same thing," Tenmaru admitted. "However, it remains the most viable option. If the offer was phrased in such a way that her family's safety was the outcome, then she might accept?"

The elder dog-hanyou gave his nephew a sharp look. "So, why're you tellin' me, if you lot have already decided?"

"Brother thinks that you have the best chance of convincing Miss Higurashi."

"Me? She listened to Tsugane when he told her to stay home today, but I have a snowball's chance in the first hell of her following my advice."

"Are you absolutely certain of that, Uncle?" A warning whistle snapped both their heads around, to see a bright red military-grade American SUV grinding its way up the access road. "Is that thing even street legal?" Tenmaru wondered. "Those look like gun ports!"

The metal beast dodged the construction vehicles, but when it appeared prepared to plough right through the freshly-laid paving to reach the house, it was instantly halted by a double line of bristling dog-youkai.

"Who the hell…?" Sha growled, rising to his feet.

Tenmaru bounced upright. "_Yakuza_," he declared as the doors of the armoured vehicle opened and four men wearing very flashy clothing climbed out.

"Send in the clowns…" While Tenmaru sniggered, Sha noted that the driver remained inside. Inhaling deeply, he muttered, "Humans… wearing way too much cheap cologne… especially the one in the frilly shirt."

"If I'm not mistaken, that's the gang known as the Band of Seven," his nephew whispered. "_Very_ rough customers."

"Nice fake youkai markings," Sha commented, and then his eyes narrowed. "I'm only counting five… _fuck_. Take some of our guys and go make sure the rest of 'em aren't sneaking in the back while these assholes are yappin' at us out here. Warn the cat, too."

As Tenmaru took off towards the house, collecting reinforcements along the way, Sha beckoned to the nearest workman. "Keep the whelp out of sight until these fuckers leave," he muttered, and the dog-youkai leapt up the stairs to head off Sota. Planting his feet in a wide stance and hooking his thumbs into his belt, Sha bellowed, "What can we do for you, gentlemen?"

A deceptively young-looking man with a four-pointed blue star embellishing his forehead removed his dark sunglasses. "Quite the welcoming committee… we were hoping to have a word with the Shikon miko." He flashed a predatory grin. "We have a business proposition for her."

"I'll just bet you do," Sha hissed, making no secret of his displeasure, especially when the feminine young man standing beside the leader began fluttering his eyelashes and making kissy-lips in his direction. Raising his voice, the hanyou said, "The Shikon miko is not receiving visitors at this time."

"We heard that she'd had a little trouble," the leader coolly replied. "We would be happy to take care of any future problems… for a price." Again, the white teeth flashed.

"I'm sure you have an impressive resume of intimidating little old ladies, but the Shikon miko has no need of pachinko-parlour thugs like _you_."

"Ah, so you are her spokesman? To whom do I have the pleasure of conversing?"

Sha reluctantly played his trump card. "The House of the West."

"Ah… the Dog Pound has already pissed in all the corners, huh? Pity. We offer highly competitive rates."

"I'm fucking _sure_ you do, asshole… who the hell told you how to find this place?"

The leader replaced his sunglasses with deliberate care. "Our good friend Mr. Narakage Hitomi was kind enough to pass on the Shikon miko's location," he said with a knowing grin. Sha loosed a furious growl and _almost_ went for his sword, but before things got messy, the leader backed down. "Some other time, then. _Ta_, puppies!" With a jaunty wave, the men disappeared into the huge SUV and it retreated in a spray of gravel.

Tenmaru galloped back across the courtyard just as the _yakuza_ disappeared from sight. "We caught two of them in the forest, but one of them laid down some kind of poisonous smoke screen and they took off," he breathlessly reported.

"Anybody hurt?"

"A few trees were melted, but that's it."

"_Melted?_ Fuck."

"Good news travels fast, huh?" Sota observed from the top of the stairs. When Sha and Tenmaru looked up, the teen pointed over his shoulder. "These guys are terrific! They've repaired the wall and cleaned up all the storerooms already, and it isn't even four o'clock."

"Any more shielded containers?"

"Just one so far. We've named it the 'haunted hibachi' because the guy who found it said there's definitely something in it, and it had a killer sealing spell that cleared the room."

"Is he okay?"

"His ego took the hit." As Sota spoke, Kagome emerged from the house with a chubby calico cat following in her wake. When he noticed Sha giving Buyo's appearance a puzzled look, the teen supplied, "Miss Buyo doesn't want Mom or Gramps to know her true identity… look sharp." An older-model sedan inched up the access road, Mrs. Higurashi clutching the steering wheel with white-knuckled fingers while the old man gaped at the activity.

"Disappear, brat." Sha quickly shed the Tetsusaiga in its carrying case and Tenmaru vanished with it into the storerooms.

Sota waited until they were out of sight before attracting attention to himself by moving towards the car. Stopping briefly to ask for advice from the foreman, he cheerfully greeted the occupants and directed the vehicle to a parking spot away from the work area. Scooting around the vehicle, he assisted his grandfather from the car while Kagome hastened to her mother's side.

"So much damage…." Mrs. Higurashi said, her hand covering her mouth. "Nothing we saw on the way prepared us for _this_!"

"I think I would like to lie down," the old man announced abruptly, his voice thin and shaky.

"Sure, Gramps," Sota soothed, leading the elderly man towards the house with Buyo anxiously meowing alongside.

Mrs. Higurashi stepped close to Sha and whispered, "Did you manage to find the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga before the quake hit?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for the opportunity," he replied, suddenly feeling like a naughty little boy caught with his finger in the red bean paste.

"Mr. Nishiki arranged for the repairs," Kagome said, quickly changing the subject when she noticed his guilty look. "He's covering the cost, too."

Mrs. Higurashi's response was extremely gratifying, and Sha happily basked in her admiration. "Thank you so much! How will we ever be able to repay you?"

"I'm happy to be of help."

Lightly squeezing his arm, her eyes as bright as her smile, she asked, "Will you stay to dinner? It's the very least that we can do to express our gratitude."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'd be honoured."

"Help me with the groceries, Kagome, and then I'd better see to Grandfather. I tried to prepare him for the shock, but…."

"It looked much worse earlier," the young woman said before heading back towards the car.

Mrs. Higurashi lingered, then pointed at the piles of accumulated rubbish. "I see that the storerooms have been cleaned out, too." Lowering her voice, she confided, "Some of those 'treasures' are junk, plain and simple, but my father-in-law simply can't bear to part with them. This disaster might actually have been a blessing in disguise!" She winked and sailed off to assist Kagome with the bags, stopping several times to personally thank groups of workmen along the way.

When the women disappeared into the house, Tenmaru descended the stairs to join Sha. "That was your lady mother's reincarnation?" he asked.

"Keh."

"She's very… motherly," the younger dog-hanyou commented neutrally, but he couldn't quite keep the trace of envy out of his tone.

"Yours is pretty young, but look at it this way… she'll be with you for the better part of several decades," Sha answered quietly.

"But it's never long enough," Tenmaru murmured, his scent becoming heavy with sadness. "We have them for such a short period of time, and then have to watch them die, with no guarantees that we'll find them again."

A chill shivered down Sha's spine, but he shook it off. "Be thankful for the time you'll have with her in this lifetime."

"Don't wait too long regarding Miss Higurashi," Tenmaru suddenly blurted out. "As the Shikon miko, her life expectancy is much shorter than the average human." At Sha's plainly shocked expression, Tenmaru simply shrugged and went back to work.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"We are _very_ lucky that your Mr. Nishiki was here; I feel much better knowing that he watched over you and Sota last night," Mrs. Higurashi commented as she bustled in the kitchen.

Kagome chose to ignore the fond insinuation that Sha was now somehow 'hers' and instead said, "He did his best to protect us from the worst of it… and we were _very_ lucky that the buildings remained standing!"

Mrs. Higurashi looked over Kagome's shoulder out the window. "The workmen are now raking gravel, so they must be close to finishing. Oh… I wonder who _that_ could be?"

Turning around, the young woman instantly recognized the heavily customized sports car adorned with oversized floral crests and a towering rear spoiler pulling up a safe distance from the gravel truck. "That's my friend Ichiko," she admitted with a sense of resignation.

"Why haven't you mentioned him before?"

"Because he's _just_ a friend, but he happens to be male and I didn't want Gramps to get all fussy about it if he found out."

Mrs. Higurashi gently chided, "But why couldn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Mom, but it just made things easier," Kagome sighed. Buyo appeared and rubbed up against the unhappy young woman's shins; Kagome bent down without thinking and then froze in the act of scooping up the cat-youkai. Buyo cocked her head in confusion, then meowed plaintively and rose up onto her hind legs in an obvious appeal. Kagome smiled and lifted Buyo into her arms, whereupon the cat-youkai vigorously rubbed her head under the young woman's chin while purring mightily. Hugging the feline, she said, "Ichiko's probably dropping off my notes from class today and making sure I'm all right. He's thoughtful like that."

"I would expect no less from someone that you call a friend," her mother said, smiling warmly, and then slyly asked, "Do you consider Mr. Nishiki your friend as well?"

Kagome gave her a dry look. "If I said 'yes', do you promise to not order _mochi_ cakes and saké?"

The other woman laughed. "I promise! However, I must admit that I'd be quite content if he became _more_ than a friend to you."

"Mo-_ther_! We've just met!" she protested, her face turning red at the memory of their almost-kiss. _Which would have happened if I hadn't chickened out!_

"I'm aware of that, dear… but there's something about him that just seems… I don't know… so _familiar_. I had no qualms at all about letting him take you to school yesterday morning because I knew he'd look after you."

"He even bought me a jacket and a helmet, but his motorcycle was wrecked in the, um, quake last night."

"Oh, my. Well, at least I don't have to worry any more that he might hurt himself while riding it."

"You sound like his mother!" Kagome teased… then wondered why Buyo's purr abruptly shut off and the cat-youkai stared hard at the older woman.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N:** _Yakuza_ – Japanese crime families, akin to the Mafia, known for missing fingertips, florid tattoos and flashy togs to advertise their 'outsider' status in the conform-until-it-hurts mainstream Japanese culture.

_Hibachi_ – Often taking the form of beautifully-finished bronze urns or handsome wooden bowls lined with copper, or even elegant square wooden chests with a copper-lined brazier, these common household items were used as portable cookers and heaters. Kettles for tea could be boiled or food grilled on the hot coals contained in the metal-lined section, and the person of the highest status was accorded the honour of sitting closest to the _hibachi_ in the colder months.

_Mochi_ – Extremely sticky, chewy rice cakes made from pounded glutinous rice, served grilled, broiled or baked. An integral feature of traditional marriage negotiations and the annual New Year's celebrations, they are remarkably hazardous to the health; in Japan there are dozens of choking deaths every year among the elderly and the young due to this foodstuff.


	8. Led Astray

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **_Muneate_ are leather breastplates worn by female practitioners of the Japanese sport of _Kyudo_, the 'Way of the Bow'. The _keiko-gi_ is a short-sleeved kimono top worn by archers of both sexes, but some compete in long-sleeved kimono (depends on their club uniform requirements). Regardless of the uniform style, male archers bare the left side of their torsos in competition. Since public nudity is out of the question, women must tie back their kimono sleeves if their uniform requires one.

I made up the format of the archery tournament pretty much from whole cloth due to a lack of primary sources, but based it on the structure of other types of martial art competitions.

**Bouquets** to my ever-patient CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

For Chip and Leif's humans, who lost their four-legged companions far too soon.

**Warnings:** WAFF, kitty porn, coarse language, messy bits.

**The Price**

**Chapter Eight: Led Astray**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**The same afternoon…**_

Tsugane left the grounds after handing Sha a folder and exchanging a few words; Kagome had the distinct feeling that the two hanyou were doing their best to not give away their familial relationship to casual observers. Changing the topic away from Mr. Nishiki, she grumbled that she hadn't managed to pull off an archery practice in all the excitement, and Mrs. Higurashi obliged by excusing her from kitchen duty. Jumping on the opportunity, Kagome dragged Sota outside to help set up her gear and then managed a solid hour of training under Buyo's watchful eyes.

When Sha came looking for her, he paused by the corner of the house to admire her slender figure and the confidence with which she handled her weapon. Releasing her final arrow of the flight, she watched it join the tight cluster in and around the bull's-eye before turning to smile at her audience.

As the hanyou passed her on his way to Kagome, Buyo wrinkled her nose at the masculine interest threading through his scent.

"How's it going?" Kagome asked, brushing a tickling strand of hair away from her face.

"They'll be finished within the hour," he replied. "I gave your notes to your mother."

"Thanks… hey, where's your sword?" As she again tried to capture the offending tendril, Sha's fingers practically itched with the desire to tuck it behind her ear just for the excuse to touch her skin.

He tried not to be disappointed when Kagome managed to secure it without his help. "Safely out of sight for now. How's the practice?"

While Buyo rolled her eyes at Sha's lame conversational skills and began vigorously washing her ears, Kagome nodded towards the butt bristling with the contents of her quiver. "Not bad. I just might avoid being skinned by my coach if I pull off a top-five finish."

Sha sighed. _Gotta say this just the right way._ "D'you really think attending this competition is a good idea?"

"I _know_ it isn't… but I still really want to go. I've been training so hard, for so long…." She looked towards the forest before continuing, "I have a feeling that the Shikon Jewel has only just begun to change my life, but I'd like to hold onto what I can for as long as I can." Peeking at him through her bangs, she shyly asked, "Will you come with me?"

"Like you could stop me," he sniffed..

"Thank you," she said, smiling quietly before heading towards her target to retrieve her arrows.

Sha was feeling rather pleased with her request when the cat-youkai emitted a gagging noise. He shot Buyo a narrow look, but she merely gave him an aloof glance, pointed one hind leg towards the sky and proceeded to lick a rather private part of her anatomy. The hanyou instantly turned beet-red, spun around and growled, "Do you _mind_?"

Tenmaru trotted down the side of the house, and came to a full stop when he caught sight of Buyo's very public ablutions. Instantly looking anywhere but her, he announced, "W-we're finished with the repairs; should we take the damaged items with us, or would Mr. Higurashi like to sort through the pile first?"

"Let me check with Mom," Kagome answered. "I don't think Gramps is up for much right now." Tenmaru nodded politely and disappeared while the young woman headed in the opposite direction towards the front door. Sha alternately glared at Buyo, who utterly ignored him, and contemplated the target circle full of arrows until Kagome called out to him. Answering her summons, he found Mrs. Higurashi putting on her shoes. "Why don't you give Mom the grand tour and show off all the hard work that was accomplished today?" Kagome suggested, and he willingly agreed.

Mrs. Higurashi looped her arm through his in a proprietary manner. "My father-in-law is sleeping, so I'll inspect," she declared. Kagome winked at Sha and vanished back around the house to continue with her archery practice, so he guided the older woman across the gleaming courtyard. "Such lovely work!" Mrs. Higurashi enthused, admiring the precisely-laid rectangular paving stones and the neatly-raked gravel. "Thank you so much, Mr. Nishiki!"

"No problem, ma'am. The crew wants to know what to do with the broken stuff from the storerooms."

"Oh, please… take it away and dispose of it!" she exclaimed. Sha gestured to Tenmaru, and the bulging garbage bags were tossed into the back of a utility truck. His nephew then bowed politely and disappeared into the cab of the vehicle along with the remainder of his crew. As it rolled down the access road in the wake of the empty gravel truck, Mrs. Higurashi looked around the pristine courtyard and smiled happily. "Absolutely _wonderful_. I'm sure that my father-in-law will be very pleased once he's over the shock."

"At least the shrine and the house weren't damaged," Sha offered, feeling slightly guilty for the amount of destruction that he _did_ cause.

"We are very grateful for small mercies," she said. "The gods surely smiled on us yesterday. Can you collect that daughter of mine? Dinner is almost ready."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The meal was enlivened by Mrs. Higurashi telling the story of the 'haunted hibachi' after Sota casually asked about the item; the teen and Sha exchanged speaking glances when they heard that the relic supposedly contained an 800-year-old frog demon that was sealed away to stop it from feasting upon young maidens. Genma Higurashi missed dinner but put in an appearance after the dishes were cleared away. The old man was still very grey-looking, and Sha didn't like the taint of illness in his scent.

"I think some air would do you good," Mrs. Higurashi declared, and between herself and Sota, chivvied the old man outside. After giving Sha a discreet swat on the way past, Buyo scampered after her humans with her tail rigidly upright.

While Sha rubbed his arm and quietly cursed contrary cat-youkai, Kagome hurried to look out the kitchen window. "Gramps is really sick, isn't he?" she asked in a low voice as Sha joined her.

"Keh. A trip to the clinic might become necessary," he replied.

"Is it _that _serious?"

"His scent is wrong," Sha confirmed.

Kagome contemplated that idea. "A youkai nose would be really helpful in my profession," she said thoughtfully.

"The other side of the coin is over-sensitivity to smells that can literally knock you out," he advised. "That wouldn't be much help in an emergency situation. Want some help with the dishes?"

"Oh! Thank you."

While she filled the sink, he lounged against the counter, trying to figure out if his proximity was welcome through her scent and her body language… without much luck. _Gods, could she just pick 'interested', 'maybe' or 'drop dead' and stick with it? I can't keep up!_

"So, where _is _the Tetsusaiga?"

"Now it's in the foyer under your brother's martial arts equipment. I figure that I can tell people I'm delivering swords to clients if anyone asks."

She began moving dishes into the sudsy water, looking pensive. "D'you think Naraku will come back tonight?"

"I won't say 'no', because I'm not up on all his capabilities, but from what I saw yesterday, you did a pretty thorough job of purifying his ass." Sha frowned at the dishtowel he held. "His scent was strange, like his body contained a mix of dozens of different kinds of youkai."

"Is there anyone you can ask about him? Miss Buyo, or maybe your brother? Ichiko said that Naraku attacked his mother while you were still pinned to the Goshinboku."

"Both the cat and Sess personally dealt with Naraku only once, so they won't be much help. I put the word out this morning among my contacts, but nothing so far. The problem is that Naraku is spreading information about the Shrine and you through his network. Those _yakuza_ that showed up this afternoon won't be the last threat."

"It's becoming more dangerous for my family," she whispered.

He decided to broach the ticklish subject of relocation. "It might be a good idea if you left the Shrine… for a little while, anyways… because if the Jewel isn't here, the main attraction for most of these assholes is gone. If anyone still decides to target your family, between Sess' guardsmen and Buyo, they don't stand a chance."

"Where would I stay?"

"Uh… probably at the main house," he answered, uncomfortably aware that he didn't know what his brother had in mind, and then instantly dismissed that option. _Fuck it. She's my responsibility._ "Or you can stay with me."

Startled grey eyes met his, and then she blushed. "I-I'll think about it."

They didn't say much after that, with Sha often distracted by the way her scent spiked when their hands brushed._ I shoulda just kissed her last night so she knows where __I__ stand!_ When Kagome bit her lip and her scent became fraught with nervousness, he realized that she was following a different line of thinking.

"Mr. Nishiki, may I ask you something?" Her expression was extremely serious.

He instantly replied, "Of course, Miss Higurashi," but just as she opened her mouth, Genma returned with Mrs. Higurashi and Sota.

As Kagome turned around, her grandfather stiffly said, "Well done, Mr. Nishiki."

Sha stepped clear of Kagome and bowed. "It was my pleasure to assist, sir," he said graciously, fully aware that he held the upper hand. The old man managed a teetering bow of his own with his escorts' help, and then announced that he wanted to return to his room. Kagome gave Sha an anxious look as the trio disappeared down the hallway. "He's a tough old goat; I'll let you know if his condition worsens," he promised.

Mrs. Higurashi reappeared with Sota in tow. Hesitating for a moment, she gave Kagome a hug. "I'm very sorry, dear, but I don't know if we'll be able to attend tomorrow's tournament."

Pouncing on the opportunity, Sha immediately spoke up. "I'll escort Miss Higurashi to her competition."

She smiled up at him and impulsively took his hand into hers. "What would we do without you, Mr. Nishiki? At least you'll have someone in your cheering section, Kagome." A frown furrowed her brow. "But… your motorcycle was damaged, wasn't it?"

He extracted his hand as quickly as possible without being rude. "I can borrow a car."

"I give you fair warning; Kagome's gear takes quite a bit of room!" As Sha grinned, her smile became wan. "If Grandfather doesn't improve, he might have to go to the hospital." Rubbing her temples, she added, "Today seems to have set back his recovery from that virus of a couple of days ago."

"I'm sure he'll be fine with some rest," Sha consoled. "What time should I be here tomorrow morning?"

Kagome quickly replied, "Eight-thirty, please. The tournament doesn't start until ten, but the venue is in the Asakusa district, and Coach Sagara likes us to arrive at least an hour beforehand."

"How long does it take you to dress for one of these things?" he demanded after a rapid calculation of the distance.

"Full traditional outfits, including _hakama,_ _keiko-gi_ and _muneate_," Sota put in. "They're graded on their turn-out as well as their shooting."

"I see," Sha said, still sounding sceptical, and then bowed. "Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Higurashi. I'm being thoroughly spoiled for my usual fare."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Nishiki. Kagome, why don't you walk out with our guest?"

Sota gave the couple a droll look over the top of his mother's head; Kagome just managed to not stick out her tongue at him before they left the house. She pulled shut the foyer door to cover Sha's retrieval of the Tetsusaiga and then skipped outside ahead of him. He carried the weapon inside his coat, tucked against his chest, but Kagome made sure that she helped block the view from the kitchen window just in case.

"You're not _really_ going… are you?" she asked when they were a little ways from the house.

"Only until sundown; there's guardsmen on duty, don't forget."

"Will you let me know when you're back?"

"Keh. The cat'll know." Picking up on her anxiety, he relented. "I'll bang on your window or something."

"But my window's on the second floor!"

"Could make it onto your roof in one jump without tryin'," he smirked. "Don't know me very well, do you?"

She gave him a long, considering glance. "_That's_ an understatement," she murmured.

He wasn't sure how to interpret her words, so instead changed the subject. "Oi… what did you want to ask me, before we were interrupted?"

Kagome's eyes went wide, but she quickly adopted another of those too-bright smiles and shook her head. "It's not important; some other time."

"Keh. You sure?" he demanded.

"Yes, I'm sure. Um… see you later?" They'd reached the top of the stone staircase; she bowed politely before heading back to the house.

Sha watched to make sure that she reached her destination without incident before descending the stairs to the street. _This girl is driving me __crazy__ with her mixed messages! _Retrieving his cell phone, he punched in 'Foxfire Cycles' private number and after exchanging a few profane pleasantries, commenced negotiations with the owner while hailing a cab.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Not a single fucking model available anywhere in Japan! I don't fucking _believe_ it!"

"You did request a number of expensive options, Uncle, so it's no wonder that your new motorcycle had to be ordered," Tenmaru pointed out. "When is the delivery date?"

"Not for _two fucking weeks_ at the earliest," Sha pouted.

The brothers gave each other long-suffering looks before Tsugane spun his keys across the table. "Take my car, Uncle. It'll be more comfortable for Mishi if she doesn't have to carry her gear on her back, and it'll definitely up your 'cool' factor."

Sha's _youki_ began crackling ominously; Tenmaru hastily glanced around the crowded bar to see if anyone noticed just as the elder hanyou demanded in a menacing tone, "How the fuck do _you_ know about her gear, brat?"

Tsugane unflinchingly met Sha's furious glare. "I've attended her tournaments for the last year… can't sit with her family, of course, because her grandfather is pricklier than a full-blown puffer fish… but she really appreciates my support."

All the frustrations of the last few days boiled over as Sha thoughtlessly sneered, "Oh, yeah? _How_ does she show her appreciation?"

His nephew didn't even blink before his _youki_ flared warningly. "You dishonour Mishi with your insinuation, Uncle, and I demand that you retract your question."

"_Stop this at once!_" Tenmaru hissed. When the two other hanyou ignored him, he grabbed both of them by their spell-concealed ears and _yanked._

Without taking his eyes off of Tsugane, Sha whacked Tenmaru's hand away and slowly rubbed his abused ear under the guise of smoothing his hair. Leaning across the table, he bared his teeth at Tsugane. "She's _mine_ to protect, brat. Keep your distance… and _stop_ callin' her Mishi!"

Tsugane's gaze became every bit as steely. "_Mishi_ is my _friend_," he stated with deliberate emphasis. "I will _not_ 'keep my distance' simply because _you've_ decided to become her guard dog. You don't know her the way I do, Uncle. When you've won her trust _and_ her friendship, perhaps you'll be permitted the great honour of giving her a pet name." His lip curled. "I recommend against 'bitch', however, since _I _know she would be offended."

"You fucking little… _ow! _ _Dammit_, Tenmaru! Touch my ear one more damn time, and I'll rip your fucking tail out by the roots and shove it up your ass!" Sha exploded, but shut up when he belatedly realized that he was making a spectacle of himself.

"Brother, _stop_ antagonizing Uncle… and Uncle, _grow the hell up!_" Tenmaru ordered, his patience clearly fraying. Tossing his brother's keys back across the table, the younger dog-hanyou slapped another set in front of Sha. "Take my car because there's a good chance that Brother's vehicle would be recognized from when he dropped off Miss Higurashi's schoolwork this afternoon," he directed. "At least the family crest isn't plastered all over mine."

Tsugane made a show of checking his watch before clasping his hands behind his head and rocking back in his chair. "I believe that you are wanted elsewhere, Uncle," he drawled. "The guardsmen's shift change takes place in half an hour and you should be on-site to supervise 'those idiots', don't you think?"

Sha calmed himself with an effort. "You two little pukes are the biggest fucking pains in the ass… keh. I'm sorry, all right? It's been a totally fucking _weird_ week, and I'm a little on edge," he gritted out from between clenched teeth.

The brothers gaped at each other and then back at Sha. Tenmaru finally ventured, "Are you feeling all right, Uncle?"

"What the hell do you mean by _that_?"

"You voluntarily shared your ramen last night, controlled your temper tonight, and then _apologized_."

Sha closed his eyes and searched for patience. "Like I said, this has been one of the most stressful weeks of my entire fucking life… at least since my sealing wore off." Rising to his feet, he rolled his shoulders, then added, "I made the suggestion to Miss Higurashi that she should leave the shrine; she said she'd think about it." Scooping Tenmaru's keys, he gave them a little shake by way of thanks, then fixed Tsugane with a direct look. "I heard ya, brat."

"Good, because otherwise I'd have to kick your ass," the other dog-hanyou responded coolly. "A word to the wise, Uncle… Mishi needs to be reassured that you see _her_, not the Lady Kikyo."

"Eh?"

"She told me as much yesterday at lunch, after you deserted us in favour of the wolf prince."

Tossing off a rude salute in reply, Sha retrieved the Tetsusaiga and headed out of the bar, giving the hostess a charming smile instead of a tip. Tenmaru looked at Tsugane. "_That_ was certainly a memorable conversation."

His older brother smirked. "Two things are now abundantly clear: our ridiculously reticent uncle views Mishi as 'his' and, where she's concerned, he has a jealous streak the size of Honshu. The question of the moment is how do we assist this awkward romance?"

Tenmaru leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, regarding his brother with wary interest. "Why so determined to bring Miss Higurashi and Uncle together? I thought you _liked_ her!"

"I _do_… she'd make an awesome Aunt!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_Another night of bark burn… keh._ Sha shifted on his branch, pulling the collar of his jacket up higher and settling the Tetsusaiga against his shoulder. A guard captain hidden in the forest somewhere behind him woofed quietly, his call repeated all the way around the cordon as the rest of the troop reported in… except for the one joker who hooted like an owl. _So far, so good. Naraku isn't stupid; he'll assume that security has been tightened around the shrine. Bet the fucker sent those __yakuza__ to test our defences… but they were too stupid to realize that they were being used._ The hanyou allowed himself a rather fanged smile. _The bastard also didn't find out about the guardsmen, so we still have the upper hand._

The light in Kagome's room was on, but the curtains were closed. Sha glanced at the lights burning in Mrs. Higurashi's room on the same floor and decided to wait a little longer before announcing his presence. Unfortunately, this delay gave him time to think about his confrontation with Tsugane over Kagome and the final tidbit of information imparted to him by his nephew. _How'm I supposed to prove to her that Kikyo's the furthest thing from my mind when I'm with her? Fuck. Shouldn't have told her, but she had a right to know._ He scowled lightly at the closed drapes. _Okay, to be honest, I've thought about Kikyo more in the last week than in the last three hundred years, but it isn't because I'm pining away for her! Kagome might look like Kikyo, but she's so totally different in every other way_…. A small smile curved the hanyou's lips. _Kagome's not afraid of me or of what I am… and if her scent's anything to go by, she prefers my eyes to be golden. _The smile turned into a pout._ Well, most of the time, anyways, when she's not freaking out because I tried to kiss her._

The lights in Mrs. Higurashi's room clicked off and he tensed. _The whelp's still up… probably doing homework, the poor bastard. The old man must be stable, or Mother… uh, I mean, Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't have gone to bed._ After waiting a decent interval, he stood up on the branch and slung the Tetsusaiga's case over his back as he gauged the distance to the house. Grinning, he took a running leap off the branch, using the springy wood to launch himself into the air. Landing lightly on the tiled roof, he rolled onto his stomach and slid forward until he was hanging upside down over the eaves and within easy reach of Kagome's window. Rapping his knuckles against the glass, he waited expectantly.

And waited some more.

Frowning, he tapped again, with a little more force, and this time the curtains whipped open. Buyo fixed him with an annoyed glare and held up her finger for silence as she glanced towards the bed. Puzzled, he waited while the blood rushed to his head, until the cat-youkai slid open the window and sharply demanded, "_What?_"

"Miss Higurashi asked me to check in with her when I returned," he growled back.

"She fell asleep waiting for you to show up," Buyo grumbled.

"I figured it was smarter to wait until her mother was in bed," Sha retorted.

The cat-youkai narrowed her pale eyes. "Come in before you pass out." She stepped backwards, allowing him enough room to execute a controlled somersault in through the open window and land soundlessly on Kagome's bedroom floor. "Is your footwear clean?" she hissed.

Sha glanced down at the pristine _tatami_ mats and curled his toes inside his boots as he sarcastically asked, "Ya want me to go lookin' for house slippers?"

"Hurry up and sit down," she chided, and he sat cross-legged, which wasn't much of a sacrifice since it brought him eye-level with Kagome.

She lay on her side facing him, her dark hair spread over the pillow, her lips slightly parted as she slept, oblivious to both the light of her bedside lamp and the two youkai within easy striking distance. "So vulnerable," Sha murmured.

"Hardly, since both you and I are here, not to mention a score of guardsmen outside," Buyo pointed out.

"You know what I meant," he snapped, not giving up his intense scrutiny of Kagome's sleep-softened features.

Buyo propped her chin on her fist. "Lord Inuyasha, is there a second reincarnation of interest to you within this house?" she bluntly asked.

He instantly realized that his shocked reaction told her everything she needed to know. "Yeah."

"Lady Yayoi, correct?" When he reluctantly nodded in confirmation, Buyo continued, "Luckily for you only her soul is the same, eh? Otherwise your pursuit of Lady Kagome would be illegal in every prefecture."

"I'm _not_ 'pursuing' her," he objected. Kagome sighed deeply at that moment and shifted onto her back, stretching her arms up over her head and baring her throat in an innocently provocative manner that made Sha gulp. "Tell her I was here, all right?" he mumbled as he hastily retreated outside.

Buyo hid her grin behind her hand as she moved to close the window. _The room suddenly became too hot, I think… that pup is as transparent as this glass pane._

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**The next morning…**_

"My goodness… I see Mr. Nishiki has merely replaced two very fast wheels with four," Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed as she peered out the kitchen window.

Kagome looked over her mother's shoulder as a sleek, low-slung sports car with tinted windows and low-profile tires purred into the parking area. "I hope that it has a big trunk," she commented as she watched Sha exit the car and walk towards the house, the early morning sun gilding his dark hair. She admired the way that he moved, alert, loose-limbed… _ready for anything._

"A fine-looking man," Mrs. Higurashi commented, and Kagome couldn't disagree.

_Was it only seven days ago that we were standing in this very spot discussing him? It's been quite the week!_ the young woman wryly thought as she went to answer his knock. "Good morning!" she chirped as she let him into the foyer.

"Good morning, Miss Higurashi," he rumbled with a slow smile, and the butterflies in her tummy instantly began fluttering. Looking over her head at her mother, he executed a polite bow to the older woman. "Good morning, ma'am."

"And a good morning to _you_, Mr. Nishiki!" Mrs. Higurashi bubbled. "I'll have lunch ready for when the two of you return. Oh, here's the instructions on how to reach the venue's parking garage; the approach is a bit tricky because it's on a one-way street."

"Thank you." After accepting the piece of paper, he stooped and grasped the handle of a long, narrow case that he assumed held the young woman's unstrung bow, while Kagome donned her leather jacket, hefted a garment bag over one arm and swung a second bag over her shoulder.

"See you later, Mom."

"Best of luck, dear… I'm _so_ sorry that we couldn't attend."

"S'okay, Mom. Grandpa's health is more important; there'll be plenty more tournaments," Kagome replied brightly enough, but Sha's spell-concealed ears twitched at the catch in her voice. She bustled out the door, pulling him along in her wake, but remained quiet even when Sha accidentally set off the car alarm as he tried to unlock the car. At his badly-muffled expletive as his claw _again_ slid off the tiny button on the key fob, she took it away and deactivated the alarm.

"Thought my fucking ears were gonna fall off," he grumbled, giving his head a shake to dispel the ringing.

"Who supplied the wheels?"

"Tenmaru. He figured that your mother might recognize Tsugane's car."

"It _is_ pretty flashy," Kagome admitted. "But it totally suits Ichiko's personality."

"Loud and obnoxious? Keh."

Elbowing the hanyou in the ribs, she eyed the unobtrusive floral crest adorning the trunk lid and examined the small chrome numbers indicating the horsepower lurking under the hood. "It appears that Mr. Nibanko prefers to be discreet about his true power."

"He's like his old man," Sha grunted, attempting to fit the case into the trunk without damage. When it finally slid into place with a whisker to spare, he breathed a sigh of relief. "D'you want your stuff in the front or in here?"

"I'll put my uniform in here, and keep this bag with me," she replied, arranging the rustling garment bag and watching as Sha closed the trunk. He then held the passenger door for her like a gentleman and closed it with a brisk pat before moving to the other side of the car. As Sha opened his door, a pyjama-clad Sota tumbled out of the house.

"Break a bowstring, Sis!" he yelled, exuberantly waving with both hands before diving back inside.

Chuckling, Sha slid behind the wheel. "I'm surprised that he isn't coming as a chaperone," the hanyou commented as he started the car and put it in reverse.

"Gramps suggested it, but Mom made a fuss about all the school work Sota missed yesterday." Kagome tugged on her jacket and settled more comfortably into her seat. "His buddy Kenji is coming by later with his notes; guess I'll be doing homework when I come back, too."

They drove in silence for a few blocks while the stereo played classical music, until Sha finally growled, "By the fifth hell… can you find something else?" Kagome quirked a brow at his archaic curse but pressed the select button through an eclectic selection of swelling movie themes, warbling _enka_ and thundering death metal until she hit a traditional _koto _performance. Sha instantly nodded. "That'll do; reminds me of my mother. She was a gifted _koto_ player."

"You said that your mother was a human princess?"

"Lady Izayoi of Setsuna," he answered easily.

"She must have been very beautiful," Kagome mused.

"Why d'ya say that?"

The young woman instantly blushed and tripped over her tongue. "Well, um… I mean… you're…."

"I'm _what_?"

Sneaking a desperate peek in his direction, she saw his amused grin. "You're a _brat_," she sniffed. "Your nephews would be proud."

He dramatically clutched at his chest. "Oi… right through the heart!" As Kagome giggled, he navigated through a busy intersection, then commented, "I'm told that I look very much like my mother with this concealment spell… and not just because of the black hair… but more like my father without."

"You said that you were a child when he died?"

"A baby, actually," he answered.

She was silent for a moment. "Who _was_ your father?"

"The Inu-no-Taisho… the Dog General of the Western Lands."

"What happened to him?"

"He was mortally wounded in his battle against Ryukotsusei, but held on long enough to protect my mother and me against a retainer who thought it was his duty to destroy a youkai's whore and her half-breed child."

Kagome's hand flew up to her mouth. "That's _horrible_!"

Sha shrugged. "He was at least honest about his prejudice, unlike the other servants who said the same thing behind her back."

"Her family wasn't supportive?" She was plainly aghast.

"Are you kidding? The only reason why my human grandfather allowed my mother and me to remain under his roof was because he was afraid of retaliation by the House of the West. I went to my father's people after my mother died and I've never been back." Staring moodily out the windshield, he added, "My mother had an elder brother and a younger sister, so I suppose that I have human relatives somewhere if they survived the centuries."

_He seems talkative,_ _and I really need to know…_ "Um, is there… uh, are you… er, do you have anyone special?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Sha reached over the console and gripped her sleeve just hard enough for his invisible claws to leave dents in the leather. "It takes a _very_ special woman to cope well when they find out about _these_, and they're few and far between… about once every five hundred years, as a matter of fact." Satisfied that his point had been made, he started to pull back, but Kagome was faster. Catching hold of his hand and holding on tight, she made her own point by delicately testing the length and sharpness of his claws.

"I can see why most people would find these unnerving, but whether they're dangerous or not is up to the person who has them and the situation in which they find themselves." Squeezing his hand, she continued, "It's too bad that people are hung up on appearances."

"You're the fucking exception," he mumbled. "Hanyou still have a tougher go of it because of what we are… not quite youkai, not quite human."

"Equal to both, in my opinion," she said softly. "Despite what you say, there must be quite a few human women and men willing _and_ able to 'cope' with a youkai or a hanyou partner."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your own nephews' existence, for a start… not to mention all my hanyou classmates," she observed, rubbing her thumb over the smooth tops of his nails.

"Keh. I was afraid that your mother might find out about my claws when she grabbed my hand yesterday," he said, trying to change the topic while not being distracted by the way her warm fingers glided over his.

"I think Mom might surprise you."

"I'm not willing to take the risk," he replied. "Buyo was afraid that you'd reject her if you found out that she was a youkai, and she's lived with your family for centuries."

"It _is_ kinda weird to know that my cat is… well, a cat-_youkai_… but we're managing." The young woman laughed softly and added, "Gramps would probably try to exorcise you because you're _male_, not because you're youkai. If he knew about my lunch dates with Ichiko, he'd have a _coronary_." Looping a lock of Sha's dark hair around her index finger, she laid it over the back of his hand to admire the sheen. "Maybe some day, Mom can learn the truth?"

"Maybe," he agreed evasively. "Okay, Miss Higurashi… my turn. Ever had a serious boyfriend?"

Kagome abruptly released his hand and hair, folded her arms across her chest and looked out the passenger window. "I was engaged to marry my high school sweetheart, but Gramps refused to give his permission, so I had to break it off," she finally answered. "After that, he found fault with every boy who dared ask me out, until I stopped bringing boys home at all." Giving Sha a quick glance, she admitted, "I've spent more time with you this past week than any man since Hojo."

They drove in silence for several blocks, Sha's nose working overtime to keep track of her emotions through her scent. _She's working her way up to asking something upsetting again_….

"Mr. Nishiki, I was wondering…."

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the Lady Kikyo?"

_I'm damn sure that's not __exactly__ what she wanted to ask, but it's definitely related. _"That's a long, long time ago, Miss Higurashi; you'll have to give me a minute to think." She did, while watching him closely and anxiously biting her lip. _What can I tell her? More to the point, what do I __remember__? _ "Kikyo was brave and kind… kids loved her… and very serious. She hardly ever smiled, but when she did, it was like the sun came out," he finally answered.

"D-do I… do I remind you of her?" she whispered, twisting her fingers together.

_Tsugane was right, the asshole._ "You nearly gave me a fucking heart attack when I saw you at Setsubun; I thought you were Kikyo come back from the dead!" Sha couldn't help chuckling at his near-panicked reaction. "But, by the time I'd spent ten minutes in your company, I knew you were your own person. To me, you are simply yourself… and always will be."

Her surprise gave way to a brilliant smile, her grey eyes lighting up with happiness… and then she blushed prettily. "Thank you, Mr. Nishiki," she mumbled. After a short pause, she asked, "How long did you know each other before…?"

"Six months, I think."

"You were going to give up half of who you are after only _six months_?"

He gave her a dry look. "More like _four,_ actually. We _are _talking the feudal era, don't forget; shorter life spans and all that?" A small, icy prickle when up his spine, but he continued, "It wasn't exactly love at first sight, y'know. She spent the first couple of months using me for target practice because I was after the Jewel."

"That sounds like a promising start to a relationship," she snorted. "What changed?"

"One day, we started talking, and I saw Kikyo for the first time. Not as the Shikon miko, not as the village's protector… but as someone with feelings like my own. She was the first person who gave a shit whether I lived or died since my lady mother; I wanted to stay with her because she gave me a place to belong. How long did you know this Hojo guy?"

"Three years," she replied with a touch of superiority, but then she stopped dead and slumped a little in her seat. "But you know…" she said slowly, obviously turning an idea over in her mind, "I think I loved the idea of getting out from under Gramps' control more than I loved Hojo. He was a really _nice_ guy; steady, dependable, predictable…."

"Boring?"

"Maybe just a little bit," she sheepishly admitted. "He could go on for _hours _about homeopathic cures for rheumatism."

Snickering as he consulted Mrs. Higurashi's note, he asked, "Are we there yet? The venue was supposed to be four blocks after that last turn…."

"Oh!" She sat forward and peered through the windshield, scanning the buildings up ahead. "Right there… Isshi Sports Hall!"

Sha turned into the multi-story parking garage next to the older building and was rather nonplussed when they ended up finding an empty stall only one level below the roof. "I didn't realize how much interest there is in archery," he muttered.

"This is a regional tournament," Kagome reminded him. "There's probably thirty teams represented here today!"

"Shoulda brought along a couple of guardsmen," Sha muttered uneasily as he retrieved Tetsusaiga's case from behind the driver's seat and slung it across his back, then moved to extract Kagome's bow from the trunk. After closing all the doors and fumbling with the key fob, Sha finally handed it to Kagome to press the 'lock' button.

His nervousness increased as they made their way down the garage's crowded staircase to the ground floor and joined the throngs of people heading towards the venue. _Dammit, I really should call for back-up… but then I'd have to face Sess' wrath for letting her run around loose when he's all set to take her into protective custody._ Sha's nose went into overdrive as he identified more than a dozen types of youkai. Making sure he had a firm grip on her bow as a makeshift weapon, even with the reassuring weight of Tetsusaiga on his back, he cupped Kagome's elbow and drew her closer. She gave him a startled look, but went along with the contact until they entered the building and she tried to shake him off. "Oi! Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, tightening his grip.

"The locker room," she replied, indicating a side corridor. "I'm meeting my team there, and it's women-only."

He rolled his eyes. "If I decide to raid your panties, I'll keep that in mind," he growled. Stooping to reach her ear, he murmured, "Be careful, girl. This whole situation is making me jumpy."

Kagome patted the hand gripping her elbow, turned her face up to his and smiled. "I'll be on alert, I promise."

"I'm _serious_, Miss Higurashi. You can't trust _anyone_… not now."

"Except you?"

Her carefully neutral tone wilted his invisible ears. "You have a few more people in your corner than just me, but you haven't seen _these_ people since the Jewel woke up. Some might be youkai…" he paused and inhaled deeply, "scratch that, some _are_ youkai and they could be interested. Try not to glow, okay?"

"Glow?"

"_Higurashi!_"

"Ohhh, _shoot_!" Kagome squeaked and spun around. Bowing as deeply as possible despite Sha's hold on her arm, she exclaimed, "Good morning, Coach Sagara!"

The broad-shouldered older man, imposing in his formal robes and crisp buzz-cut, raked Sha with a decidedly disapproving glance before replying, "You're _late_, Higurashi."

"Yes, sir," she meekly agreed, her subservience to the man setting Sha's teeth on edge, never mind the unjust accusation of tardiness. He glared at Sagara, refusing to take the obvious hint that he should move away from Kagome.

"And who is _this_?" The belittling emphasis on the final word turned Sha's instant irritation with the human into full-blown dislike… and gave him an idea. Kagome shot her escort a panicked look, but Sha was already stepping forward.

"Sha Nishiki," he replied, his voice deepening as his _youki _rose, and was gratified by Sagara's immediate and flustered response. _Take that, asshole!_ "I am Miss Higurashi's corporate sponsor."

"Corporate sponsor?" Sagara weakly asked, looking to Kagome for confirmation, but she was too busy staring up at Sha.

"She is an impressive talent; definitely national-level," the hanyou smoothly continued. "I will watch her performance in this tournament with keen interest." Pointedly turning back to Kagome, who was still open-mouthed… _hopefully with admiration for my quick thinking_… he intoned, "Best of luck, Miss Higurashi. We will reconvene afterwards to discuss the details of our sponsorship."

"Ah, er, um… _certainly_, Mr. Nishiki! Most definitely!" she floundered, then gamely took on her role as dewy national hopeful. "Thank you very much for carrying my bow, _sir_," she added and moved to take the case from his hand. Bowing to the hanyou, she bobbed another to her coach and escaped through the locker room door behind Sagara; Sha easily heard the excited exchange of greetings from inside.

Favouring Sagara with a thin smile as he sorted through his options, he realized that his hands were tied. _Can't exactly go in there without causing a riot, and don't feel like making small talk with this idiot… I have to trust that Kagome can handle this. _"Miss Higurashi's abilities are undoubtedly due to your excellent coaching skills, Mr. Sagara. Good day." Barely inclining his head, Sha turned on his heel and headed back to the main concourse, where he joined the spectators streaming towards the seating area. _Fuck. Lots of youkai blood in this crowd, too… raptors, mostly, from the smell of 'em. Makes sense, since they have the keenest eyesight._

Sha ended up not taking a seat, instead restlessly roaming the building until he ended up on a mezzanine with a view across the stands as well as the indoor range. Despite having Tetsusaiga within easy reach, his sense of unease increased exponentially as the stands filled up with chattering spectators. _Dammit, I'm gonna call Tsugane for a couple of troopers. Better to ask him than his old man because I won't get the lecture! _ Retrieving his cell phone, he punched in his nephew's number and promptly got a busy signal. _Fuck. Tenmaru, then_. Trying the younger hanyou's number he had exactly the same result. _Just my fucking luck; the brats are probably talking to each other._

He noted that Kagome was right about the number of teams, judging by the affiliated groups sitting together wearing matching headbands and carrying paper fans printed with their club crests. The sheer amount of people, with the resulting mix of human and youkai scents, kept him on edge until a chime alerted the crowd that the tournament proper was about to begin. The parade of athletes, led by a Shinto priest, filed into the hall and took their seats in respectful silence; Sha nearly left grooves in the metal stanchion until he spotted Kagome… although he almost didn't recognize her. Her black hair was tied up into a perky topknot, and she wore a crisp white _keiko-gi_ tucked into pleated navy blue _hakama_. A gleaming, dark leather _muneate_ contributed to her martial appearance, along with the quiverful of precisely-matched, white-fletched arrows and the long bow towering above her head, which was carried on precisely the same angle as the rest of her team mates. _Looks like Sagara's spent a few hours drilling them on proper presentation!_

After a short prayer by the priest, the teams got down to business. Sha was surprised by how quickly the competition moved through the cut-throat elimination rounds until only two teams remained. One was from the prestigious Chiyoda district and the other from the much-less-prestigious Shinagawa, and the underdogs promptly out-shot their opponents in an unexpected success that caused much twittering in the crowd. Kagome's team placed eighth overall; while Sagara maintained a scowl, Sha noted that the club members seemed pleased with the result.

As the ranges were reset for the individual competitions, the atmosphere became tense. _Things are getting interesting; I wonder if there's betting going on, even though this isn't a professional tournament? _ He quickly realized that not all were taking part in the individual competitions, as uniformed men and women joined their friends and family in the main seating area. While Sha kept an eye on Kagome, who remained in the competitor area with several of her team mates, he began to overhear snippets of conversation that perturbed as much as they entertained him.

"Guess what? I heard that the Sokko Club's Kagome Higurashi has a _sponsor_!"

"Wouldn't a sponsor compromise her amateur status?"

"That's the only way _you _could ever beat her, Kishimoto… if she wasn't competing in your division any more!"

"Maybe she'll get product endorsements! That'd be so _cool_!"

"Feh. Her name's already everywhere in the grocery store…."

"Sour grapes, Fujimori?"

"Grape _juice_, more like!"

Sha couldn't help snickering at the exchange as he admired Kagome, who easily moved through the rounds until she defeated her opponent in the quarter finals. _She's cool and collected, focussed on the task at hand; grace under pressure. Now I understand how she was able to take out Yura. Hell, Naraku didn't seem to rattle her as much as he did __me__! _Kagome's opponent in the semi-finals was another girl from her team, a young woman with an imperious style that featured a great deal of hair-tossing and restless movement.

The two young women bowed to the judges, then turned and stepped up onto the firing platform in perfect unison. They took up identical stances, notched their arrows and brought their bows up into position as if they'd rehearsed the moves together a thousand times. Their backs very straight, their eyes locked on their targets, they waited for the official's flag to drop. In the time it took Sha to draw a breath, two arrows thudded into the two targets as if released from one bow and were rapidly followed by a total of four more.

Kagome and the other girl bowed to each other and then stepped down while their scores were assessed; after much deliberation that involved a measuring tape, her team mate was awarded the match by a single point. Sha watched Kagome warmly congratulate the other girl, accept her arrows from one of the officials and then return to her seat to await her final competition while her opponent prepared to meet the other semi-finalist winner for the top prize.

The hanyou paid the final almost no mind because his attention was fixed on Kagome. She was smiling brightly, as if an immense pressure had lifted. _That's right! She wanted a top-five finish so that asshole Sagara wouldn't hassle her. She can't do worse than fourth, so she's safe… from him, at least._ Kagome's team mate lost by a very narrow margin to the other finalist from a Shibuya district club. While the proud girl's manners were impeccable, it was obvious that she was not pleased with her second-place finish. Kagome then stepped up to try for third-place honours and handily beat her opponent by a three-point spread; Sha couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in her accomplishment.

An intermission was announced, with the promise of a special exhibition to follow the men's competition and the women trooped out in considerably less-formal fashion than when they first entered, chattering animatedly, their bows angled every which way. The spectators also took advantage of the break, and Sha found himself trapped on the wrong side of the hall by the mass of humanity. _Sharp thinking, hanyou! Fuck!_ Setting his jaw, he determinedly worked his way down the stairs through the milling throng, held up several times by celebratory groups. _Would be so much fucking easier if I could jump over 'em!_

It was the same story on the exit ramp and in the concourse, as everybody seemed to have decided to purchase tea and visit the toilets at the same time. Curbing his temper, but just barely, he made it to the main entry. However, passing a group of young men, a familiar scent wafted to his nose and he spun around. _Naraku?_ The men, all competitors from a couple of different clubs, continued talking in complete disregard of the gimlet-eyed stranger prowling along the edge of their loose circle. _Dammit__… I __know__ I smelt the fucker!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"You did terrific today, Abihime!"

"I deserved better," the other girl replied with a toss of her head.

Kagome gave her friend a playful swat on the way to her locker in the next row. _I should've known Abihime's a youkai because she's so strong! Pretty golden aura, too._ "Come off it; today was that girl's day… you'll get another crack at her during the national trials." Dropping her bow and quiver and pulling out her gear bag, she rummaged through it for her hairbrush. When Abihime followed her, she continued, "Look on the bright side; Coach'll get off your back because you went from a fourth place to a second. Hey, what did that guy want with you?" she curiously asked, remembering a stranger with a deeply-hued aura who had beckoned her friend aside in the entry hall.

"Oh, just a crackpot with a can't-fail suggestion for improving my ranking. What did Coach want to talk to _you_ about?"

"Um, he had some questions about a sponsorship I'm considering…" Kagome guiltily fibbed, fiddling with the brush.

"A sponsorship? What kind?"

"Er…."

"Hurry, Kagome! C'mon, Abihime! We'll save you seats for the men's competition! Don't want to miss those studs from the Dageki Club flexing their muscles!"

Kagome grinned in relief and scampered to the end of the locker bank. Waving at the girl, part of a group that were already changed and ready to charge out the door, she said, "We'll be there!" As quiet descended in the locker room with the closing door, she turned and smiled fondly at Abihime. "_I'm_ proud of your showing, even if you're grumpy. I'll bet that your mom will be pleased… hey, how is she feeling?"

"Still not over that bout of food poisoning," the other girl responded, examining her nails. "Kagome, you'd help me out if I needed something, right?"

"Of course!" Kagome immediately replied. "Anything you…. _Oof!_" In one movement, she was seized by the throat and slammed against the row of lockers, then her _muneate_ was torn away as razor-sharp claws carved into her flesh. Choking on the blood welling up into her mouth, belatedly grappling with the scale-covered talons driving ever deeper into her body, she stared in terrified confusion into a steely pair of glittering yellow eyes.

"Thanks for the Jewel, friend… I'll think of you when I'm national champion."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Naraku's distinctive scent tickled his nose again, a faint thread that led away from the group and back into the crowded concourse. Sha unhesitatingly followed it, his eyes darting from face to face as he tried to locate the source, his fingers inching towards the sword on his back. Every time he thought he had it, the scent would wisp away, only to reassert itself further into the building.

An announcement recalling the spectators to their seats for the men's competition thinned the crowds, and Sha was able to clearly follow the scent up the ramp and back into the stands. The chime sounded when he was halfway up one of the staircases, requiring him to sit immediately or draw attention to himself. Cursing quietly, he plunked down on one of the risers and inhaled deeply… just as realization struck like a thunderbolt. _How could I be so fucking __stupid__! He deliberately lured me away from Kagome!_ Baring his teeth in a feral snarl, Sha practically threw himself down the stairs, over the railing and hit the exit ramp in a dead run. _He's a fucking shapeshifter, and I fucking __fell__ for it! Gods, please let her be all right!_

Taking the corner into the concourse at full speed, he skidded on the polished concrete and fell but managed to roll up onto his feet and keep going. Dashing through the empty entry hall, he released Tetsusaiga from its case and drew the blade. As it hissed to its full size, he raced across the wide expanse and down the darkened corridor to the locker room.

The door was closed and all was quiet; Sha strained his invisible ears for any sound of conflict… or life… and the hairs on the back of his neck went straight up when he detected the coppery tang of spilled blood. _Her__ blood._ "_Kagome_!" he shouted, throwing social niceties to the wind, but he heard only the echoes of his own voice. "_I'm coming in!_" Dread twisting his guts, he raised Tetsusaiga in one hand and put his shoulder to the panel, bursting into the room in a rush… just as a blood-soaked body toppled towards him.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: 'Sour grapes'** – Japanese grocery stores sell various types of fruit and vegetable juices and sauces (such as ketchup) under the 'Kagome' brand name.


	9. Severed Connections

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** Feni recently discovered that she somehow lost track of her 'timing' bunny. This fic is intended to take place over ten days in early Spring, beginning with Setsubun in the first week of February… but all the time-of-year markers used so far are from mid-Winter. Corrections have been made in previous chapters. Eheh.

**Bouquets** to my lovely CMAs, Forthright (put down the pitchfork!), Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Violence, coarse language, WAFF.

**The Price**

**Chapter Nine: Severed Connections**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha caught the stumbling figure on pure reflex, all his senses attuned for an attack. _It stinks like… burned feathers? What the fuck?_ Aside from the heavy stench of death, all was still. No movement, no sound, except for the choked noises emanating from the slender young woman huddled against his chest, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket. Despite the nauseating reek threatening to turn his stomach, he stooped to confirm her identity with a sniff. _Kagome… covered in her own blood, but breathing and alive. _

Glancing over his shoulder into the corridor to check for witnesses, Sha wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and edged both of them away from the door. As soon as the panel swung shut, he locked it. _Gotta try to contain this somehow._ Sliding further along the wall, he cautiously peered around the first row of lockers just in case there were more attackers lying in wait… and swore softly at what he saw.

Crimson splattered the floor, sprayed across the walls and dripped slowly from the ceiling. At the base of the locker bank on the one wall, a wet-looking _muneate_ rocked gently on the tiles. Stretching away from the discarded breastplate and a pile of scorched clothing was a long, evil-looking smear that glistened iridescently in the fluorescent light. The oily stain was liberally sprinkled with fluffy grey ashes that eddied and swirled across the tiled floor, wafting through the air and occasionally sticking in the droplets of blood. With growing horror, Sha realized that the strong undercurrent of roasted flesh permeating the room indicated that the stain had once been a living person. _Holy gods… this is bad. __Real__ bad. We need back-up!_

Transferring his attention to the young woman trembling in his arms, Sha grimly listened to the strangled gasps shaking her entire frame while he tried to figure out their next move. Kagome's once-pristine white _keiko-gi_ hung off one shoulder, the sodden material heavy with blood… and her bared skin bore the marks of savagery. "Let me see," he whispered, steeling himself for the worst as she lifted her head. Her face was ghostly pale under a spattering of red, her grey eyes desolate. Very slowly, she tilted up her chin and leaned back. "_Gods!_" he hissed as he took in the full extent of the damages. Deep puncture wounds in both sides of her throat revealed the source of the blood decorating the walls and ceiling, and brutally raw gouges furrowed her tender breasts where it appeared someone had tried to tear open her ribcage. "Who did this?" he demanded, aghast.

Kagome's blank expression crumpled. "My friend," she whimpered before collapsing in tears.

As raw sobs shook her body, Sha gathered her close as searing memories of Kikyo's bleak expression on that last day roared through his mind. _This has Naraku's fucking fingerprints all over it! Damn that fucker's black soul straight to the eighth hell!_ In the midst of his fury, he heard the distinctive sound of the air conditioning system's fans start up. _Fuck! If this scent circulates through the building…!_ Despite the urgency of the situation, he tenderly cupped the back of her neck with his hand. "We have to get you cleaned up and out of here," he murmured in her ear, lightly rubbing his thumb up and down her nape.

After a long moment, she sniffled, "O-o-okay," into his chest and straightened up.

Sha tugged her red-stained top back up onto her shoulder; she slowly covered herself, but he didn't immediately release her. Instead, he wiped her cheeks with the back of his hand and brushed her clumped bangs out of her eyes. "I don't blame you if you don't want to strip down here and shower… I'd feel too fucking vulnerable… but your hair is full of blood and the scent will attract attention," he said.

Kagome nodded, swallowing hard, and he let her go. When she staggered, he quickly caught her arm and guided her across the locker room. When she shrank against him as they passed the oily smear, he gave her a reassuring squeeze. "My clothes were in the garment bag, so they should be all right," she said dully, moving towards an open locker further down the row.

"Hustle," the hanyou urged, "we gotta clear out before the men's competition is over." Leaving her alone for a moment, he ran back to the door. Locating the glassed-in controls for the fans, he smashed the cover with Tetsusaiga's hilt and turned the system off. _Dammit, this is turning into a major disaster._ Double-timing back, he watched her weak attempts to extract a towel out of her gear bag. _Amazing that she's still conscious, never mind moving around_. Intervening to speed things up, he tossed her garment bag over his shoulder and handed her the towel. "Naraku's somewhere in the vicinity, so we have to _move. _Hurry… but carefully," he ordered as he scooped her into his arms.

Kagome pressed her forehead against his shoulder as black spots twirled through her vision. "I'm doing my best," she painfully rasped.

Stifling his impatience, he replied in a soothing tone, "I know." Carrying her into the shower room, he carefully set her on her unsteady feet and hung up the garment bag. "Yell if you need anything, all right? I gotta make a call." When she nodded, he exited the steam-filled room. Tucking Tetsusaiga under his arm, he dug in his pocket for his cell phone, then punched in Sess' number as the water turned on behind him. _I bet she stood under it, clothes and all._ As soon as his brother answered, he said without preamble, "I need a clean-up crew at the Isshi Sports Hall, Asakusa district."

"Details."

Sha considered the grease mark and rumpled clothes before stepping over them to gingerly examine an ash-smeared purse and gear bag. "Deceased youkai, species as yet unidentified; possibly avian."

"Structural damage?"

"It wasn't me, asshole. Miss Higurashi fought off an attacker." He extracted an I.D. card from the purse with his clawtips. "Deceased is Abihime Tekkaido."

"Repeat."

"Abihime Tek…."

"_Where_ was Miss Higurashi was attacked?"

"Isshi Sports Hall."

Sesshiro's voice dropped several degrees below zero. "Miss Higurashi was in a public venue?"

Sha's hackles went up an equal amount. "She was aware of the risks, but chose to attend anyways. I'm not her fucking _jailor_."

"Indeed," his brother frostily retorted. "My elderly housekeeper could do better."

"Just send the crew and spare me the fucking lecture, asshole. Tell 'em scent identification only, because Naraku was here… shit, damn and all seven hells! _Fuck_! _That's_ probably how… _dammit!_ Naraku must've told the Tekkaido girl about the Jewel and set her up to attack Miss Higurashi, then lured me away to give her enough time… _fuck_!" Sha punched the nearest locker hard enough to nearly wrap the steel door around his fist and created a small whirlwind of ash.

"The team has been dispatched; we will convene at the Sunset Shrine in an hour."

Sha snapped closed his phone, growling ferociously as he put it away. Finally noticing the blood smeared all over his leather jacket, he distractedly cast about for a quick solution. _That'll do; she won't be using it any more._ Wiping off the fluid with a damp towel from the deceased young woman's gear bag while sorting through their options, it took him a few moments to realize that he wasn't alone. Kagome stood several feet away, looking wan and exhausted, her wet hair soaking into the light material of her blouse. "I left my uniform in there," she said, hooking her thumb over her shoulder towards the bathroom.

"The crew'll take care of it," he said, hastily dropping the besmirched towel back into the gear bag.

She wavered forward, using the lockers to prop herself up until she stood beside him. "I've known her since middle school," she began, gesturing at the heaped clothing and blackened tiles. "We joined the archery club on the same day. Picked the same high school because of the archery program. After we graduated, we decided to join the Sokko Club so we could continue to compete and hang out together." Raising a haunted gaze to Sha, she whispered, "Her eyes turned bright yellow and she had… _talons_ instead of hands…."

"Did she say anything?" he gently prompted.

"That the Jewel would make her national champion." Hunching her shoulders, Kagome murmured hollowly, "I'm a murderer…."

Sha immediately reacted. "_Naraku_ set this up! Don't you _dare_ blame yourself!" he snarled, but she only turned her head away.

"I couldn't breathe… there was blood _everywhere,_ and it hurt _so_ much… and then… and then… she… just _dissolved_…."

"Same as with Mistress Centipede. The Jewel will do whatever it takes to protect you," Sha said, his tone coming out harsher than he intended, but he didn't like Kagome's defeated posture. "Naraku took advantage of her greed and ambition. Don't get me wrong, she didn't deserve to die, but you can't blame yourself for what happened."

Shivering, she murmured, "Someone has to tell Abihime's mother."

"It'll be taken care of. We're just waiting on the crew to secure this area." Kagome nodded, her hair screening her face, and guided herself back towards her locker as Sha gnashed his fangs and imagined visiting hideously painful tortures upon his nemesis. _He's trying to break her, the fucking __slime__!_

Reappearing a few minutes later, wearing her leather jacket and carrying her bow in one hand with the quiver on her back, the young woman radiated guilt and distress. "If I hadn't insisted on competing, this wouldn't have happened."

"_Stop it_, wench. If you're gonna throw blame around, then it's my fucking fault, too, because _I _was stupid enough to let Naraku lead me around by the nose." Sha gripped Kagome's chin in his fingers and forced her to look him in the eye. "We're gonna get the fucking bastard who killed your friend. Got it? You ain't a helpless kitten… you're the fucking Shikon miko and you're gonna _own his ass_."

She managed a faint smile. "Don't really want to be anywhere near his butt, thanks; too many tentacles."

Sha released her chin and rapped her forehead with his knuckles. "That's more like it. Now, what in all the hells is taking those idiots so long?" he growled. As if in answer to his grumble, there came a brisk rapping on the door. "Stay here," he ordered, then approached the door with Tetsusaiga raised. "Identify yourselves," he growled through the panel.

"The Western House," came the prompt reply. Unlocking the door and cracking it slightly, Sha fixed the dozen or so youkai outside with a steely glare and inhaled deeply.

"What's going on, sir?" one of the troopers asked in a hushed tone, his own nose twitching at the heavy scents of messily violent death.

"Just making sure that none of you jokers is Naraku in disguise, because he screwed me over once already today."

"Is the Shikon miko all right?"

"More or less." Sha stepped aside and allowed the dog-youkai to enter single file, but he sniffed each of them carefully just in case. The men came to a stop en masse when they saw the condition of the room, with a pale-faced young woman standing in the midst of swirling ashes and spattered gore. "Miss Higurashi… time to go," Sha called. She seemed startled when the group bowed to her and hastily returned the salute, then one of the crew jumped to her rescue when the movement wreaked havoc with her balance.

"Thanks," she said softly. "Not quite myself this afternoon."

The trooper glanced at the red-streaked walls. "Understandably so, miss," he calmly replied as he guided her to Sha's side. "Sir, two of us are ready to accompany you to your vehicle, and a couple of outriders will escort you both back to the Shrine."

"Works for me." Sha pulled the scabbard out of the carrying case and sheathed the Tetsusaiga before shoving it through his belt, heedless of the legal repercussions. "Whoever is delegated to speak to the girl's family… go easy. Naraku tricked her into attacking Miss Higurashi and probably intended to kill her if she was successful."

"Yessir."

He caught Kagome's arm and led her outside the locker room in company of two troopers, then surprised all of them by going down on one knee. "Climb on," he ordered.

"M-mr. Nishiki?"

"You heard me. Don't want you fainting on the way to the car."

"Er… okay…." Kagome wasn't quite sure what to do with her bow until one of their escorts offered to hold it for her, then hesitantly draped herself over Sha's back. She let out a faint squeak of surprise when he hooked his hands under her knees and stood upright. "Can you still reach your sword?" she asked as she moved the end of the leather carrying case out of the way and loosely wrapped her arms around Sha's neck, linking her hands on his chest.

"No worries," he assured, hiking her a little higher, and their escorts fell into place before and behind them.

Moving quickly, but not fast enough to attract undue attention, the small group crossed the entry hall and ducked out onto the plaza, passing a utility truck Kagome thought she recognized from the previous day at the Shrine. Two identically-clad motorcycle riders idled their crest-marked machines at the entrance to the parking garage; straightening up at their approach, one asked, "Where should we meet you, sir?"

"The level below the roof," Sha replied and they saluted before roaring away up the entrance ramp, while one of the troopers opened the door to the stairwell and they slipped inside. Sha paused, looking at the flights spiralling upwards as if weighing his options. "Hold on, Miss Higurashi," was all the warning he gave before he launched them straight up, leaving her stomach somewhere down at ground level.

Kagome yelped, then hid her face in Sha's hair, acutely aware that compromising his balance by flailing in surprise would be a Very Bad Thing as they rapidly ascended by bounding back and forth from one side of the stairwell to the other. She had no idea that the warmth of her breath on his neck was doing a fine job of distracting him, not even when he overshot their floor. With a curse, he was about to fling them back over the railing and into space when she whimpered, "Please… just take the stairs? My stomach hasn't caught up with us."

"Sure." Sha quietly enjoyed the sort-of hug she bestowed on him by way of thanks as he thumped down the stairs to the correct landing, where one trooper held the door while the other flagged down the motorcycle escort. He let her down when they reached Tenmaru's car, but gave her the fob to unlock the doors while he had the motorcycle riders take off their helmets so that he could scent-check them. Her bow and quiver were stowed in the trunk and then a trooper held her door while she entered the vehicle.

"We'll make sure that your things are returned to the Shrine, miss," he assured, and received a tired smile in exchange.

Sha slung the Tetsusaiga behind the driver's seat and slid behind the wheel. "Let's roll." Plucking the keys from Kagome's palm, he fired up the car and threw the engine into reverse. Once backed up, he left a small patch of rubber as he took off down the row with the motorcycles in hot pursuit.

Kagome kept her eyes closed as they rapidly circled their way down the building to the exit ramp, feeling distinctly queasy when he kept applying the brakes on the curves and then speeding up on the flats. "Could you slow down a little? My head is spinning…."

"I'm in a hurry to put some distance between us and the venue before the shit hits the fan."

"We were supposed to stay for the special exhibition shoot after the men's competition, so the crew has a little more time. Coach Sagara is going to be livid that Abihime and I disappeared."

"_Screw him_," Sha said with considerable feeling as he spun the wheel through another corner and aimed the car at the exit.

"Uh, don't we need to pay for the parking?"

"Taken care of," he growled as one of the motorcyclists pulled up next to the pay kiosk and shoved a card under the wicket. The exit barrier had barely risen high enough before he sent the car diving underneath it and out into the afternoon sunshine… then almost turned the wrong way down the one-way street as the outriders caught up. Once heading in the correct direction, they drove in silence with only the music playing. Sha was thoroughly beating himself up for allowing Naraku to so easily draw him away from the young woman when a salty tang stung his nose.

Kagome stared sightlessly through the windshield, tears running down her cheeks and dripping off her jaw into her lap. Sha instantly reached across the console and wrapped his hand around her tightly-clenched fist, but wasn't sure what to say as waves of sadness fairly emanated from her body. "She didn't see me any more," Kagome finally murmured. "She only saw the Shikon-no-Tama." Shuddering, the tears flowing even more freely, she added, "That's how they'll _all_ see me… as a means to an end."

"_Who_?" he asked tightly, suddenly and deeply afraid of her stark tone.

"Naraku… and all the others that want to use the Jewel." She looked down at where he gripped her fist, then turned over her hand and carefully laced her fingers with his. "They won't hesitate to use my family to get what they want." Smearing away the tears on her sleeve, she gave him a haunted look. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe; if the offer's still open, I'll stay with you."

"I'm really fucking sorry that it's come to this," he muttered, "but it's the best option. We'll have to tell your mother and grandfather enough of the truth that they'll understand the danger and go from there." Silence descended again while Sha wrestled with various scenarios… until warm droplets spattered on the back of his hand.

Tears were again streaking Kagome's cheeks; when Sha desperately squeezed her hand, she murmured, "It's a nightmare come to life and I can't wake up… everything and everybody _looks_ the same, but _nothing_ is…."

"And you feel so fucking alone you just want to die," he finished. He waited for a stoplight before turning to look the shocked young woman straight in the eye. "I know exactly how you feel, because after I woke up from my sealing, it was a living nightmare." Extracting his hand from hers, he cupped her face between his palms and wiped away her tears with gentle fingers. "We're in this together, Miss Higurashi."

She managed a small smile. "I think I've heard that line somewhere before."

"No more tears, girl," he gruffly ordered as he reluctantly returned to piloting the car.

Kagome pulled the cuffs of her blouse over her hands and scrubbed at her face. "Right. Crying won't help." Taking a couple of deep breaths, she asked, "Where should we start with our cover story?"

"Too bad we can't discuss this with your brother and Buyo so we're all on the same page."

"Mom will want to know my results; maybe while I'm telling her and helping with lunch, you can slip away and talk to one or the other of them?"

Sha snorted. "I'll corner your brother; I think I'd get a rep if someone caught me talking to a cat!"

"We'd better tell them that I'm the Shikon miko, but it's probably a good idea to limit the threats they need to know about to the criminal element, I guess."

The hanyou smirked. "Luckily for us, those stupid _yakuza _showed up yesterday; this might be easier than we expect."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"You _can't _be _serious_!"

The old man was plainly flustered, but repeated, "Kagome will _only_ leave this house as a bride."

Sha bit back a ferocious curse and ground out, "She's _trying_ to save your _life_… what does _that _have to do with getting married?"

"The Higurashi family is well-known in important social circles; I will not have our name disgraced by gossip," Genma loftily replied. "I have made my decision."

The hanyou slammed his hands onto the table, making the tea cups jump. "Didn't you hear _anything_ we've said? Because of the power within her, _you're_ in grave danger so long as Miss Higurashi remains at the Shrine!"

"If what you say is true, then surely the Shikon-no-Tama will protect us," Genma stubbornly insisted.

"The Jewel protects _her_ and no one else," Sha growled. "You're asking her to live with the constant stress of protecting her family as well as herself. _Yakuza_ aren't the most polite of criminals… they won't hesitate to torture an old man to force his granddaughter to do what they want."

While Genma stewed over that pronouncement for a few moments, and after a fielding a despairing look from his plainly-distressed mother, Sota cleared his throat. With a quick glance at Sha, he said, "Excuse me, Grandfather, but _I_ think it would be best if we took Mr. Nishiki up on his offer. The situation must be really serious for Sis to even suggest this drastic action."

The elder Higurashi frowned at the traitorous teen. "It is _my_ decision as head of this family. We don't know _anything_ about Mr. Nishiki… he could even be one of these criminals himself!"

Sha barely restrained himself from calling Genma's intelligence into question as Sota's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. "That's a real nice thing to say about someone who spent major yen repairing the Shrine yesterday," the teen couldn't help commenting.

"Exactly my point! Where does he get all this money?" the old man truculently demanded. "And, I doubt his intentions towards Kagome are honourable!"

"Forgive my impertinence, Grandfather… but _that's enough_," came Kagome's quiet, tired voice, and all eyes snapped to the young woman. "People will kill for this power," she murmured as rosy pink light flared between the fingers of her upraised hand. With her other hand, she abruptly pulled open her blouse and revealed the livid marks patterning her skin. Her audience was stunned into silence as she continued, "The only reason that I survived an attack this morning was because of the Jewel. The people who want it will stop at nothing to get it."

"_Kagome_…!" Mrs. Higurashi gasped, her hands covering her mouth as she stared at her daughter's injuries.

The young woman calmly extinguished the flames and fastened her blouse before fixing her grandfather with a steady gaze. "Your lives are far more important than any social standing."

"We know _nothing_ of his family!" Mr. Higurashi desperately objected. "You expect me to allow you to throw your life… your medical career… away on a nobody?"

"I'm sure that my elder brother will find your opinion of our ancient lineage very interesting," Sha growled, doing his very best to not bare his teeth or swear at the intransigent old man. At that moment, one of the outriders stationed in the foyer coughed discreetly. "As a matter of fact, the senior 'nobody' has just arrived. Excuse me." Rising to his feet, he bowed to Mrs. Higurashi and gave Kagome a tight smile, then swept from the room.

Kagome calmly watched Sha and his flaring _youki_ disappear into the foyer before turning back to her red-faced grandfather. Buyo scurried under the table and climbed into her lap, offering tangible comfort in the form of warmth and a loud purr. "Mr. Nishiki _is_ an honourable man who has chosen of his own free will to involve himself with our family, and if marrying him is the only way you will allow me to leave this house, then so be it."

Genma turned up his nose. "_I _knew that he was trouble from the moment that I laid eyes on him!"

The young woman smiled wearily, but with an air of determination. "I'm sorry that you think so, Grandfather." She lifted Buyo into her arms and stood up. "I had hoped that when I left the Shrine, it would be under more civil circumstances."

In the face of Kagome's steely resolve, and in the interests of retaining some control over the rapidly-decaying situation, Genma suddenly did a one-eighty. "Very well, Granddaughter. In order to preserve your honour, I give you my permission to wed Mr. Nishiki, and I will meet with his family representative to discuss an appropriate bride price."

She took his capitulation with a wry look and good grace since there was no point in continuing hostilities. "I think that the cost of the new courtyard more than covers any financial obligation from his side, Grandfather."

Mrs. Higurashi also stood up. "Come, Kagome… let us put on our best to greet Mr. Nishiki's brother, so that he knows we are a family of substance," she stiffly declared. "Sota, would you be a dear and make some fresh tea?"

The teenager was still boggled by the afternoon's whiplashing turns of event. "If Sis is actually being betrothed, shouldn't I bring out the saké?"

"That is for _after _we conclude negotiations," Genma loftily declared. "Mr. Nishiki's brother will find that I drive a hard bargain!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"… and then the old bastard said she could only leave the Shrine as a bride!"

Sesshiro appeared to admire the curve of the main shrine's tiled roof. "Marry the girl and be done with it, Brother," he rumbled.

"But what if that isn't what _she_ wants?"

"Miss Higurashi seems intelligent enough to recognize the social advantages of a marriage of convenience."

Sha savagely kicked a piece of gravel the length of the courtyard. "Just to keep the old asshole happy."

"Is it on _her_ behalf that you protest, or _yours_?" As his brother shot him a filthy look, Sesshiro calmly continued, "The two of you were destined to meet. I fail to see the difficulty."

"Says the youkai with hella more experience in reincarnated lovers." Sha jumped when Sesshiro's hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed briefly.

"This meeting between you, at this time and in this place, was meant to be, Brother. Take the opportunity for happiness being handed to you on a gilded platter." When Sha shuffled uncomfortably, he added, ""Naraku's machinations ended your first relationship before it had a chance; this time will be different."

The hanyou sighed deeply before muttering, "Let's hope so… hey, kitty."

Buyo marched up to where they stood beside Sess' limousine. Regally seating herself with her tail neatly wrapped around her legs, she gave the pair of dog-youkai a cool look; when they merely gazed back, somewhat bemused by her appearance, she rolled her eyes and jerked her head towards the car. Sha clued in first and reached for the door handle. Buyo flicked her tail and hopped into the luxurious passenger compartment, then used the tinted windows to her advantage and transformed. Sesshiro looked distinctly displeased at this invasion of his personal space and ducked inside to seat himself opposite to the cat-youkai. Deliberately lolling on the leather bench seat, Buyo purred, "Lord Genma has given his permission for Lady Kagome to leave the Shrine."

"The old coot finally came to his senses?"

"As your bride, Lord Inuyasha."

"_Fuck_. Is _she _okay with this?"

"She has agreed… with far less fuss than you, I might add."

"A practical woman," Sesshiro said thoughtfully.

Buyo switched her attention to the taiyoukai. "I will not countenance any attempt to intimidate Lord Genma, Western Lord."

His spell-darkened gaze became uncomfortably sharp, and then turned bright yellow. "Do you truly think a mere human would get the better of this Sesshiro?"

"Lord Genma is remarkably stubborn."

"Hn."

"Lady Kagome is being trussed up in her _furisode_ kimono in anticipation of a betrothal agreement. Give her lady mother a few more minutes to don her own formal finery, and if one of your guard dogs is handy, send him for a bottle of good saké. Ryukotsusei made short work of the last, but I do not think Lord Genma is as yet aware of that fact." Sesshiro gave a low woof and a trooper instantly loped across the courtyard, only to be dispatched with equal speed on his errand.

Buyo stretched languidly. "Lord Genma is a very traditional man, Western Lord. Perhaps a change of clothing would be strategically wise?" she suggested, indicating the taiyoukai's elegant Italian-cut suit before she resumed feline form and stepped down from the car. Sesshiro merely looked thoughtful for a moment and then his _youki_ rippled, leaving him garbed in traditional _haori_, kimono and pleated _hakama_.

Sha glanced at his brother's altered appearance and shuddered. "Fucking creeps me out when you do that."

"Why?"

"Knowing that you're actually running around naked all the time is too much information, thanks. Why can't you just wear real clothes?"

"Personal preference." When Buyo mewed, apparently in agreement, Sha slanted her a look but forbore saying anything. Instead, he brushed down his t-shirt and ran his claws through his hair. Sesshiro surveyed his brother with mild disdain as he exited the limo. "The ability to improve one's appearance would be an advantage for you right now."

"S'okay; the old man thinks we're a bunch of nobodies, so I'd disappoint him if I showed up looking decent." Sha flashed his teeth. "Let's go overawe the human, Brother dear… but play nice."

"I am _always_ a paragon of etiquette."

"Keh. Tell _that_ to those panther-youkai you dismembered last century."

"They were _neatly_ dismembered."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Inside the house, Sha escorted his brother into the _tatami_ room. "Lord Sesshiro Nishiki, this is Mr. Genma Higurashi, hereditary priest of the Sunset Shrine and Miss Higurashi's grandfather." Mentally smirking at the elderly human's flabbergasted response as he took in the imposing sight of the taiyoukai, currently disguised as a wealthy middle-aged man in formal rig, Sha ushered Sesshiro to a seat at the table. He was about to join them when he noticed Sota beckoning urgently from around the shoji screen. "Excuse me for a moment," he apologized and bowed himself out of the room, leaving Genma and Sesshiro to size each other up.

"What's up?" he asked in a low voice when he reached Sota.

"Mom wants to talk to you," the teen replied, pointing up the stairs. "I gotta go find some saké."

"Already taken care of. You go in and play referee."

Sota gulped. "With your brother? I dunno…."

"Half-brother, and he isn't gonna bite… unless your gramps _really_ pisses him off."

"_Great_. Miss Buyo? I'm too young to die; wanna come play with the nice doggie?" the teen jokingly coaxed.

"He _will_ kill you, because I know he heard that," Sha snickered. "However, I'll put in a good word for you, since it appears that we're about to become family."

"Having you as a brother would be _cool_… and I mean that," Sota said, fixing Sha with a direct look.

Buyo interrupted with a commanding meow and led the way into the _tatami_ room. Sota smiled gamely at the hanyou and followed, seating himself at Genma's right hand. The cat-youkai made herself comfortable in the teen's lap, crossed her front paws at the joint on his knee and regarded Sesshiro through half-closed lids. The taiyoukai's eyes _might_ have narrowed a fraction, but he waited for Genma to open the negotiations. The old man elbowed Sota, who hastily poured two cups of tea and bowed as he placed one in front of Sesshiro.

Nervously clearing his throat, because he really wasn't expecting anyone as distinguished as Sesshiro to show up, Genma began, "The Higurashi family has been the hereditary caretakers of the Sunset Shrine since the Warring States era, and numbers many famous priests and priestesses in its lineage."

Sesshiro steepled his long fingers. "The Nishiki clan has supplied both advisors and warriors to the Imperial Court since the Heian era. We retain our traditional rights and powers, which include our hereditary lands in Aichi prefecture as well as several holdings here in Tokyo and elsewhere on the Home Islands. We are involved in many sectors of business and are well-known patrons of the arts."

"Ah… er, we have been entrusted with _many_ national treasures…."

"Which will be at risk from criminal activity due to interest in the Shikon miko," Sesshiro stated flatly.

"Uh… true, but…."

"Your family and your shrine require greater protection than you alone can currently provide. In the interests of national security, we will supply the necessary men and materials… but there is a price."

"You would have me _sell _you my beloved granddaughter?" Genma demanded haughtily, completely put out by having the tables turned.

Sesshiro smiled faintly. "I believe it was _your_ requirement that Miss Higurashi must be married before she could leave the Shrine, and I am here to negotiate an appropriate bride price."

"Well! Er…."

"My brother has consented to this marriage in order to satisfy your sense of propriety. However, it is abundantly clear that your family gains the most by an alliance with our clan; therefore, I suggest that the repairs to the Shrine be accepted in lieu of a bride price… and the Western House will overlook Miss Higurashi's lack of a suitable dowry."

"Ah, um… well, yes… I suppose…."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The sounds of rustling fabric and low feminine voices drew Sha to the door opposite to Kagome's room. Rapping his knuckles on the wooden panel while trying to keep one invisible ear cocked towards the conversation down stairs, he was taken off guard when the door opened and revealed Kagome dressed in a shimmering silk kimono. All he could do was stare at the transformed girl, from the delicate artificial flowers in her hair to the elaborate _obi_ cinching her slender waist and the snow-white _tabi_ encasing her dainty feet. It wasn't until he realized that those feet were fidgeting nervously because Kagome was awaiting his verdict that he found his voice. "You're beautiful," he blurted out.

Her cheeks bloomed the same shade of rose as the blossoms embroidered on the kimono. "Thank you," she murmured with a shy smile.

Sha indicated his jeans and t-shirt. "You look like a princess, and I'm a slob."

"It isn't the clothing that makes the man," Mrs. Higurashi said quietly. Dressed in a sober black kimono with softly-hued flowers gathering thickly at the hem, she stepped up to Sha and laid her hand over his heart. "You will protect my daughter?" she asked, intently searching his face.

As a lump rose in his throat, he answered, "With _everything_ I have," feeling like he had just sworn an oath.

Nodding, she simply replied, "I trust you," and patted his chest. Retreating a step, she cupped Kagome's elbow. "Does your elder brother fully understand the situation?" she inquired as she urged the young woman forward.

"He does now," Sha fibbed, as he preceded the two women down the steep staircase and irrationally worried that Kagome or Mrs. Higurashi might fall due to their snugly-wrapped kimono. However, they descended without incident, and after a last-minute fuss over the hang of Kagome's sleeves, Mrs. Higurashi indicated that Sha should lead them into the _tatami_ room. Noting that Sesshiro appeared entirely too complacent while Genma looked like he had bitten into an unripe persimmon, he seated himself next to his brother. When Kagome knelt at his side in her silken finery, his stomach did a couple of nervous flips. They had just exchanged tremulous smiles when the trooper sent on the alcohol run arrived in the foyer, and Sota had to dislodge Buyo in order to go collect the bottle.

The cat-youkai developed a positively mischievous gleam in her eye and sauntered around the table. After pausing briefly to rub up against one of the wooden legs, she planted herself next to Sesshiro. When he sent her an icy look, complete with a distinct you-wouldn't-dare glint, Buyo deliberately rubbed her chin on his knee and purred loudly.

"Are you a cat person, Lord Nishiki?" Genma innocently inquired while Mrs. Higurashi retrieved a half-dozen small porcelain cups and a flask from the picture-topped chest, then gestured to Sota to join her in the kitchen.

"Not by choice."

Sha was struck by a nearly overwhelming urge to giggle, until a subsonic growl vibrated through his body, and he almost dropped to the mats instead. Kagome picked up on his twitch and nudged him with her elbow; he made a tiny movement with his head towards the smug cat-youkai. Kagome's eyes nearly popped and she shot Sha a panicked look, but he just grinned and shrugged.

"Erm… how should we proceed?" Sota asked, hovering uncertainly with the saké flask while Mrs. Higurashi set down a lacquer tray. "I've never, um, attended a betrothal before."

"Your grandfather and I will pour a measure for each other to seal the contract, then I will pour for my brother and you for your sister as they signal their acceptance," Sesshiro replied evenly, folding his hands inside his sleeves as Buyo blithely continued snuggling up to the taiyoukai as if he was her new best friend.

Sota obeyed, placing two of the cups in the centre of the table and passing his grandfather the flask. After the old man carefully filled one of the cups and offered it to Sesshiro with a bow, the taiyoukai returned the favour. The human and the disguised youkai downed the saké simultaneously, and then it was Sha and Kagome's turn. Sota scuttled around the table to kneel at his sister's side just as Mrs. Higurashi arranged two cups in front of the couple.

"Here goes…" Sota muttered, carefully dribbling the liquor into Kagome's cup, then passing the flask to Sesshiro with a bow. Buyo left off tempting death and disappeared under the table, only to pop up next to Mrs. Higurashi, her pale eyes keen. The taiyoukai held his sleeve out of the way as he meticulously filled Sha's cup and set down the flask.

Sha squared his shoulders and carefully picked up the tiny cup, trying to not give away the presence of his claws as he did so. Bowing to Genma and then his brother, he downed the alcohol in one gulp and then had to blink rapidly as the saké burned smoothly over his sensitive palate. _I'm fucking sure that coughing or sneezing would be taken as a sign of bad luck! _

_I never dreamed that this is how I'd meet someone and become engaged._ Kagome exhaled and followed suit, bowing first to Genma and then Sesshiro before swallowing the liquor and thereby sealing the agreement.

Mrs. Higurashi slid a small plate with two bite-sized _botamochi _on it across the table. One was coated in _kurogoma_ and the other in _kinako_, and the black and golden treats had been roughly formed into a yin-yang symbol. "I didn't have any plain _mochi_ on hand; I hope that these will do?" she asked, her question directed at Sesshiro.

He politely inclined his head, "More than adequate, madam."

Kagome and Sha ate the tiny morsels, and he realized with a jolt that they were now to all intents and purposes legally married. _From her scent, she's figured that out, too… holy hells, __what__ have we gotten ourselves into?_ Some of his nervous tension evaporated when she smiled bravely, and he impulsively caught her hand. As he pressed a kiss to her knuckles, there was a collective sigh from around the table… along with what sounded like a 'harrumph' from Genma's direction.

In the following lull, as Mrs. Higurashi offered around the tray of _botamochi_ and poured fresh tea, Genma spoke up. "The wedding, now… perhaps during Golden Week?"

"Tomorrow morning is preferable." All eyes snapped to Sesshiro, who calmly sipped his tea. Mrs. Higurashi set down the teapot hard enough to rattle the lid; Sota rested a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"But… but… the _guests_!" Genma protested, with a distinctly quivering lip. "We have social obligations!"

"Considering the danger, do you really think it wise to collect all those you hold dear in one place for easy identification by the enemy?"

"Enemy?"

"Criminal elements," Sesshiro smoothly amended.

"This is _most_ irregular!" Genma huffed. "Where can we hold the ceremony on such short notice?"

Sesshiro slowly arched an eyebrow. "This _is_ a shrine, is it not? And you are the head priest?"

"Begging your pardon, Lord Nishiki, but it isn't just that," Mrs. Higurashi put in, her cheeks flushing red. "We have to rent the wedding kimono… and we haven't saved enough for the banquet," she admitted in some embarrassment, trying not to wring her hands and failing.

The taiyoukai's gaze softened. "The Western House is honoured to supply anything required, madam. It _is_ rather short notice." Rising to his feet, he bowed. "I look forward to concluding this marriage tomorrow morning at ten o'clock." He turned to Kagome and added, "Welcome to the House of the West, Sister."

Her mouth dropped open, but she recovered quickly and bowed deeply; Sha was too startled by Sesshiro's gesture to respond negatively. "Th-thank you, uh… Elder Brother," she squeaked.

He nodded agreeably. "A word, Brother." Bobbing a curt bow to the room in general, he swept out.

Sha muttered, "Back in a minute," and followed on his heels.

Outside, Sesshiro turned his face into the Spring wind and inhaled as they headed towards the limo. "The similarities are remarkable," he said.

"Similarities?"

"Miss Higurashi's mother is most definitely the Lady Izayoi's reincarnation, right down to her mannerisms, and Father supplied appropriate clothing when he took her as his concubine."

"I wouldn't know," Sha growled.

"Your nuptials will be properly honoured to the letter, if not the spirit."

"Whaddya mean, 'not the spirit'?"

"Your courtship of Miss Higurashi in effect begins tomorrow, Brother… _after_ the wedding. Doing things the hard way seems to be a specialty of yours." As Sha muttered, Sesshiro clapped his hand on the hanyou's shoulder. "At least this time, your heart's delight isn't trying to skewer _you_ with an arrow. Give Mrs. Higurashi's list of necessities to my housekeeper."

"Oi… not _your _lady mother?"

"Unfortunately she is away on a Mediterranean cruise," Sesshiro smirked. "She does so _love_ a social occasion… to take over." While Sha chortled, he seated himself in the limo and nodded to the uniformed driver. "I will have the staff prepare Wisteria House for occupancy."

"Keh. About that…."

"Safety in numbers, Brother," Sesshiro immediately answered and pulled the door shut.

Sha watched the limo purr across the courtyard towards the exit gates, chewing his lip. _The asshole's right,_ he reluctantly concurred. _Despite the disadvantages of being too fucking close to the brats for my liking, the dust bunnies at my place are growing fangs!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

An hour and a half later, Sha steered Tenmaru's car through the main gates of Western House and into the gravelled parking forecourt. Exiting the vehicle, he nodded to the groundskeeper, who had immediately begun smoothing away all traces of the car's tire tracks. _I wonder what Kagome will make of that, never mind all the other traditional crap that goes on here?_ Passing through the secondary gate and being saluted by a sentry, he crunched along the gravel path beneath a canopy of budding maple trees towards the central pavilion. Skirting a reflecting pool, he scared a heron into flight that was stalking one of the colourful and enormous koi fish. _Good luck, featherbrain… those fish'll eat __you__ for lunch!_

Bounding up the stairs, he let himself into the foyer through the aged wooden door and kicked off his boots. Heading for the kitchen, he fingered the folded paper in his jacket pocket and with a pang, remembered Mrs. Higurashi's embarrassment mixed with gratefulness_. I know __why__ we have to rush this ceremony, but shit… it's gonna be tough for her to explain this 'shotgun wedding' to the rest of their family. _

"Congratulations, Lord Sha!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Nishino," he replied, grinning at the bright-eyed housekeeper.

"It's been _so long_ since we've welcomed a bride to the House; this is _wonderful_!" the elderly dog-youkai enthused. "Lord Nishiki has given permission for your betrothed to wear the 'Silver Happiness' _shiromuku_ kimono," she continued, "Would you prefer the white or red _uchikake_… or perhaps the blue?"

"Er, the red… I suppose…."

"We could give Miss Higurashi the choice. It's no great difficulty to send them all along."

"Good idea," he agreed faintly as he handed over the list.

The housekeeper rapidly perused Mrs. Higurashi's neat columns. "This will be no problem at all to cater… small numbers due to haste, I suppose. All human on her side?"

"Except for one cat-youkai."

"A _cat_?"

"She's been the shrine's guardian for the past five centuries, and the humans don't know what she is, or what _we_ are, except for Miss Higurashi and her brother."

"Hmmm… haven't yet met a feline that turned up its nose at seafood and the young lords will also attend, so I'll triple the amounts."

"_What_? _They're_ coming?" he exclaimed.

She gave him a serene look. "Of course, Lord Sha. They must greet their new aunt." Rapping his arm with the paper, she shooed him towards the door back into the hallway. "They don't know yet, so why don't you pass on your good news?" Feeling a little overwhelmed, he detoured to the fridge and retrieved a cold beer, but quickly regretted giving Mrs. Nishino more time for interrogation. "Lord Sha, why did Lord Nishiki ask that two separate bedrooms be prepared in Wisteria House?"

"Uh… well… um, Miss Higurashi and I haven't known each other very long," he squirmed.

She nodded and smiled kindly. "I firmly believe that couples who are thrown together so precipitously need some time to adjust. This is most wise, Lord Sha." He gave her a sickly grin, flicked the cap from the bottle into the sink and escaped down the hall, following the sounds of thundering horsepower.

The giant screen television was showing an off-road car rally at full throttle, and since the sounds of spinning tires and gunning engines were nearly deafening, Sha guessed that Tenmaru had again won the battle for control of the remote. His nephews were sprawled comfortably over the Western-style sectional couch, their concealment spells tossed aside like the snack wrappers littering the coffee table.

Sha stood just behind the couch, sipping his beer and waiting for his presence to register. Tenmaru's nose twitched first, and he looked over his shoulder as he popped a handful of shrimp crackers into his mouth. Tsugane amiably waved his beer bottle after he took a swig. In a momentary lull as the telecast cut to a commercial break, Sha announced, "Congratulate me, brats… I'm getting married tomorrow."

Ever after, he wished he'd had a camera to record that moment. Both Tenmaru's and Tsugane's eyes widened comically as their jaws sagged… just before crackers went down the wrong way and beer spewed.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Around midnight, when the stars were struggling to make themselves seen against the light thrown off by Tokyo's urban sprawl, Sha returned to the Sunset Shrine on foot with his sword strapped across his back. _The brats were awfully pleased with the news_, he mused. _Better check my breakfast congee for curry sauce… and my bed sheets for cayenne pepper tomorrow night. _ The lining of his invisible canine ears turned the same bright pink as his cheeks as his libido supplied a naughty image of he and Kagome intimately entwined on those same sheets. _Whoa, hanyou… put on a leash! She has her own bed, and the chances are good that you won't be in it for a very, very long time… if ever. _That last truism made his ears and his shoulders droop, but there wasn't much he could do about it. _Gotta keep her alive and defeat Naraku; then we'll worry about destiny an' all that crap._

Mrs. Nishino had taken charge of wedding planning with a vengeance; not only had she paid a visit to the shrine that afternoon to discuss the menu for the luncheon with Mrs. Higurashi, but had also delivered the wedding kimono and successfully cajoled Kagome into trying on the multiple layers. She reported back that the young woman had chosen the scarlet red _uchikake_ embroidered with silvery-white cranes and plum blossoms as her outermost layer; he was rather pleased. _If I didn't have to wear that black formal rig, I'd haul out my old fire-rat_.

Crossing the grounds, he made sure that he remained out of sight of the kitchen window, even though the house was dark. _Can't afford to get careless_. Ending up under the Goshinboku, he gave a low woof for the benefit of the sentries and Buyo while surveying the peaceful scene. Satisfied, he leapt upwards to take up station on 'his' branch… and nearly fell back off because it was already occupied. "_Dammit_, cat!" he hissed as he dangled by the claws of one hand while glaring ferociously at the feline youkai. "_What_ in all the hells are you _doing_ out here?"

As he swung himself back upright, Buyo sighed deeply. "Trying to stay alive," she admitted, drawing up her long legs to make room for the hanyou on the thickest part of the branch.

Sha plunked himself down, still grumbling… until her words registered. "What? Oi, why do you smell scorched?"

"Watch… it's starting again," she murmured, indicating Kagome's bedroom. Sha turned and paid attention. Training his ears on the open window, he was dismayed to hear the faint sounds of sobbing that quickly escalated to a panicked cry. As he crouched, intent on leaping to her rescue, Buyo grabbed the back of his jacket.

"Wait!" As she spoke, a sudden blast of pink energy momentarily blinded both of them; Sha whipped around and shielded Buyo with his body.

"By the fifth fucking hell… what _was _that?" he demanded, making sure his canine ears were still where they were supposed to be once the burst of light faded away.

Buyo shivered. "Lady Kagome is reliving this morning's attack… over and over and over." She gave Sha a haunted look. "Lady Yayoi tried to calm her for the first little while, but Lady Kagome finally sent her to bed. Then, I did my best, but the only way to stop the nightmare was to keep her awake… and she's so tired that she's almost ill… but as soon as she dozes off…."

"You were caught by the Jewel's defensive reaction," he murmured. As the quiet sobs from inside the bedroom began gaining instrength, he made a decision. "I'm going in; your turn to get bark burn tonight."

"Lord Inuyasha!"

He tossed the cat-youkai a grin that he hoped looked more confident than he felt. "If I'm purified, it's no problem because I'll not only _look_ human, but I'll _be_ human for the ceremony tomorrow."

"You could _die_!" Buyo hissed, distractedly digging her claws into the thick bark.

"It's a risk I'll take… for her." Repeating his running leap from the previous night, he landed as quietly as possible on the roof tiles and waited for the next explosion; as soon as it occurred, he flipped upside down and swung through the open window. The lights were out, but he had no trouble seeing the tightly-curled ball of misery tucked into the young woman's bed. "Miss Higurashi?" he called softly, wondering belatedly if her mother was still awake.

The unhappy whimpering subsided; after a couple of sniffling hiccups, Kagome whispered, "M-mr. N-nishiki?"

"Keh. You're giving your cat fits, girl, and I almost didn't need my concealment spell," he growled as he took off his boots and left them under the window. Pulling the Tetsusaiga off his back, he padded over to the bed and knelt so that his face was only inches away from hers. The air was saturated with her tears; he carefully wiped his thumb over her cheek and gently stroked his fingers through her damp hair. "So, why're you lighting up the neighbourhood like a fireworks display?"

Kagome drew a deep, shuddering breath. "Every time I close my eyes, I see her. I see Abihime… feel her claws in my throat… taste the blood in my mouth… watch her die…."

The edge of hysteria in her voice and the taint of fear in her scent brought all his protective instincts to the fore and he made a reckless decision. "Hush," he ordered. "Move over a bit… I'm gonna lie down with you."

"Wh-what?"

"Just do it. I promise I won't take advantage of you or anything." As he moved around the foot of her bed, he shed his jacket. Kagome rolled over, watching him with wide eyes as Sha sat down on top of the layered blankets and swung his legs onto the bedding. Arranging his fur-lined jacket over his feet, he caught her puzzled look and said, "Spent enough centuries going barefoot; don't like the cold." Stretching out, he rolled onto his side facing her and tucked Tetsusaiga behind her back. "Also don't like sleeping with my back to a window."

Commandeering the other half of her pillow, he tucked his arm underneath it and smirked a little at her wary expression. Starting by gently running his fingers through her hair, he moved his hand closer to her face with each stroke until he was brushing the backs of his claws over her cheek and temple. When Kagome exhaled and her eyelashes fluttered to half-mast, he whispered, "Come a little closer."

Her eyes snapped open again, but after a moment of consideration, she obeyed; Sha encouraged her to rest her head against his chest and made sure the blankets were tucked snugly around her shoulders after she moved. As soon as she was settled, more or less, he continued stroking her hair until she relaxed. "Listen to my heartbeat… concentrate on the sound, so even when you fall asleep, you know you're not alone."

Kagome shifted a little, until her fingertips curled into his sidelock. "This is nice," she admitted.

"When I was a little whelp, my lady mother would hold me like this when I had nightmares," he answered, remembering the overwhelming sense of security and love from so long ago.

"Aren't you afraid that I might zap you?"

Sha lightly shrugged without missing a stroke. "It's a risk."

"Quite a day… we had… today… huh?" Kagome ventured after a little while, her voice drowsily disjointed.

"Keh. Bet ya never thought you'd end up stuck with a hanyou."

"Better you… than anyone else," she sighed, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Tough… to explain… random bodily harm… to an outsider."

"Keh. Suppose so; go to sleep, Miss Higurashi, because the action's gonna start at the crack o' dawn," Sha said gruffly.

"Mm-_hmmm_," she hummed in agreement, and he could've sworn she immediately conked out, but then she mumbled, "D'you think… we could be… less formal?"

"How d'ya mean?" he carefully asked.

"Since we're… b'trothed an' everythin'… can I call you… by your firs' name?" she sleepily slurred.

"Sure."

"N'yasha… or…?"

"Sha's good; my full name attracts too much attention."

"M'kay. G'night… Sha…." Smiling crookedly, she nestled under his chin, her breath warming his skin through his t-shirt.

"Good night, Kagome," he softly answered, nuzzling her hair. Her breathing quickly deepened and evened out; when he was sure that she was going to stay asleep without nightmarish interruption, he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and continued stroking her hair with long, slow sweeps. Contemplating the patterns of the shadows on the opposite wall of her bedroom, he allowed himself to be lulled by her warm scent and the sheer indulgence of holding her in his arms. _Maybe… maybe we'll be allowed to live out her life together? I don't want to lose her again!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

A _furisode_ kimono is worn by young Japanese women to celebrate _Seijinshiki_, their coming-of-age at 20 years old. _Furisode_ have the brightest colours, most elaborate decoration and the longest hanging sleeves of all kimono. Social conventions have been changing in Japan, and women sometimes now wear this flashy, look-at-me kimono until they are either married (the traditional time to put it aside and wear more sober colours) or reach age 30, whichever comes first.

A _haori_ is an open-fronted coat worn by Japanese men over their kimono; it started out as an essential cover-up for the samurai class and is now usually seen with only the most formal of traditional wear. A particularly flashy example is worn by the hero in Rumiko Takahashi's new manga, _Rin-ne_.

_Tabi_ are the white split-toe socks worn with dressy, flat-soled _zori_ sandals, while wooden-soled _geta_ sandals are worn barefoot with casual _yukata_.

**Betrothals/Marriages** – there's no exchange of rings and no kissing in very traditional Japanese marriage ceremonies. Sha & Kagome are considered as good as married in the traditional sense after they drink the saké and eat the _botamochi_, but they will have the ceremony with all the silken trimmings the next morning to make Gramps (slightly) happy.

Shinto weddings often take place on Sundays in modern Japan because everyone has the day off. Larger shrines have 'wedding halls' right on the grounds where the reception takes place, while couples who choose smaller shrines to perform the rites will often have only their immediate families in attendance, and then join the rest of the guests at a nearby hotel for the often-boisterous reception that features food, saké and _karaoke_.

Renting of the wedding finery is also a common practice, because the modern fashion for changing outfits throughout the reception (from kimono to Western-style wedding gown to evening gown) would bankrupt a middle-class family if the garments were purchased.

_Shiromuku_ – the pure white wedding kimono that now symbolically indicates the bride's purity much like white Western wedding gowns. In former times, it also represented the bride's 'death' as a member of her family and 'rebirth' as a member of her husband's.

_Uchikake_ – the trailing over-kimono worn by brides over their _shiromuku_ ensembles. Often seen in white, scarlet red (for luck), royal blue or gold and elaborately embroidered with traditional symbols of happiness, fidelity and wealth such as Japanese cranes (which mate for life). The hem is padded, allowing the _uchikake_ to fan out behind the bride as she walks and displaying the rich material to advantage.


	10. Viperous

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** I am _very_ pleased to report that 'The Price' placed in four categories in the recent IYFG voting. Thank you very much for your support!

Apologies for the delay in posting; when your betas give you sheepish looks and say, 'It's not bad, _but_… ' then it's time to start the rewrite.

**Bouquets** to my ever-patient (and demanding) CMAs: Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Enough WAFF to give an action!bunny conniptions, and a bit of coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter Ten: Viperous**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**The next morning…**_

"What're _you_ lookin' at, brat?" Sha demanded, tugging on the collar of his formal black silk _haori _for the umpteenth time since donning the garment.

"I was just thinking how well you clean up, Uncle," Tsugane replied mildly, twirling the fluffy white tassel on the end of his _haori-himo_ between his fingertips as he lounged on the opposite bench seat in the limousine.

Sha muttered something under his breath and made an effort to not fidget, but found himself fiddling with the pleats of his striped _hakama_ anyways. "I hope that Kagome's ready for this," he muttered, wishing he at least had Tetsusaiga at his hip. _Bad luck, my ass… it'll be __really__ bad luck if Naraku catches us without weapons because of some dumb tradition!_ Pulling the ivory-framed fan out of his _obi_, he began toying with it for want of something to do to keep his hands busy.

"Mrs. Nishino has things well in hand," Sesshiro soothed, watching the delicate antique snap open and closed.

"She really seems to be enjoying herself," Tenmaru noted from his seat beside Tsugane.

"Because Grandmother isn't here to steal her thunder," Tsugane drawled.

"Does Grandmother even _know_ yet?"

"She will be informed in due course," Sesshiro rumbled. A slow smile spread across Tsugane's face, and he reached across the compartment to poke his father in the knee as he made a low clucking sound. The taiyoukai merely arched an eyebrow at his eldest son's temerity and observed, "Your lady grandmother is a very formidable woman."

"Ain't _that _the truth," Sha agreed, looking out the window. "How much longer?"

"Is that a whiff of apprehension I detect?" Tsugane asked archly.

Sha shot him a blistering look. "You just wait, whelp. We'll see how cool and collected _you_ are when you finally convince a female to take you on."

"Speaking of which, when did Mishi become 'Kagome' instead of 'Miss Higurashi'?" his nephew asked, not at all put out by Sha's crackling _youki_.

"Last night."

Tsugane nodded thoughtfully. "Being attacked by her friend must have been _awful_." Giving Sha a level look, he added, "Mishi will need some time to adjust to everything that's happened to her over the past twenty-four hours, okay?"

"Whaddya mean?"

The dog-hanyou huffed a little before elaborating, "Yesterday she was forced into killing her friend, and this morning is marrying a guy she's known for less than a week. That's _after_ finding out she's the new Shikon miko and is therefore on the hit lists of every criminally-minded youkai and human in Japan." When Sha looked a little dumbfounded, Tsugane said in a very serious tone, "You must become her anchor, Uncle, because the rest of her reality has tilted sideways."

"Her anchor… er, yeah," Sha replied, still somewhat mystified.

"Uncle, sometimes I think you're truly _hopeless_. Use your friggin' _brains_ for once! You haven't survived this long without… _argh_. I should've just married Mishi _myself_." Giving Sha an exasperated glare, he immediately changed the topic. "Remembering to call her 'Aunt' will be tough."

"Just don't screw up and call her 'Aunt Mishi', or you might be outed as 'Ichiko'," Sha growled, unwilling to admit how unsettled he was by Tsugane's advice while deciding to ignore his nephew's comment about Kagome in the interests of peace. "I spoke to the cat before I left this morning, so she knows she's to call you by your real names."

"Don't worry, Uncle. We'll do you proud," Tenmaru quietly assured.

"Keh."

"We have arrived," Sesshiro announced.

As Sha's stomach twisted itself into knots, the limo entered the gates and rolled up the access road. Crossing the courtyard, the driver avoided the photographer setting up at the bottom of the main shrine's staircase and came to a stop not far from the catering truck parked in close proximity to the foyer door.

"All _right_! Mrs. Nishino hired the _good_ caterers!" Tsugane crowed.

His brother instantly sat forward to peer out the window. "I wonder how many strings she had to pull on such short notice?"

"Don't care, really… piping hot _takoyaki_ for the win, baby!"

"Our good lady has been busy," Sesshiro murmured. "I believe even my lady mother would approve."

As the door of the limo swung open, Sha muttered, "Let's do this," and practically sprang out as he shoved the fan back into his _obi_.

"Why so tense, Uncle?" Tenmaru curiously asked as he followed his elders from the vehicle.

"We aren't carrying weapons, and Naraku would have to be blind _and_ deaf to not have noticed the activity at the Shrine!" the eldest hanyou snapped.

Tsugane looked rather smug. "Who said 'no weapons'?"

Eying him warily, Sha offered, "Bad luck about 'things that cut' and all that shit."

Exchanging smirks with his brother, Tsugane said, "Don't worry, Uncle… Tetsusaiga is closer than you think." When Sha scowled in his direction, he jerked his head towards the limo. "You didn't even notice your own sword's _youki_?"

As he exhaled, Sha growled, "My mind's on other things, brat."

His nephew shot him a meaningful look. "I certainly _hope so_. However, I can assure you that the only place in Tokyo with a higher security level today is the Imperial Palace."

While Sha tried settling his ruffled nerves, the foyer door cracked open and Buyo strolled out, her tail flagged. Making straight for the new arrivals, she slowly circled each, looking them up and down with a critical eye. Apparently deciding that the dog-hanyou passed muster, she rubbed up against Sha's pristine _hakama_ and left a deposit of hair-like _youki_ behind. Pausing for a moment, she then prowled towards Sesshiro with obvious intent, but his _youki_ suddenly coiled around him in an intimidating threat display. Buyo merely flicked her ears as if at an annoying midge as she sashayed right past, regally ignoring the taiyoukai. Tsugane and Tenmaru barely muffled their giggles and then dodged behind Sha in mock-terror as their father gave them a quelling glare.

At that moment, Mrs. Nishino appeared around the other side of the house and beckoned. "Good morning, my lords… this way, please." Sesshiro immediately strode forward; Sha fell into step beside him with Tsugane and Tenmaru bringing up the rear as they moved towards the formal entryway where Yayoi Higurashi waited, wearing an elegant formal kimono and a gracious smile.

"Welcome to the Sunset Shrine, House of the West," she said with a low bow.

"Our thanks, madam," Sesshiro smoothly replied with his own bow.

Genma Higurashi shuffled into view, shocking Sha with how frail he appeared. _His robes look like they're a couple of sizes too large… crap. He's going downhill fast!_ However, the old man's head was held high and his eyes were very sharp as he scanned the four apparently-human men waiting in the morning sunshine before bowing and stepping down to ground level.

"Allow me to present my sons," Sesshiro intoned, gesturing.

Sha completely missed the rest of the introductions because his attention was entirely focussed on the young woman now framed in the doorway. Kagome was swathed in layers of silver and scarlet, her dark hair twisted up and secured with carved combs. While Mrs. Nishino gathered the train of the sweeping _uchikake_, Kagome looked up as she slipped into a pair of lacquered _zori_… and her bright smile instantly relieved some of his tension even as the reality of what they were about to do rocked his composure. _I __must__ protect her. Failure is __not__ an option… not now, not ever._

"It appears that my brother is completely overcome by the sight of his lovely bride," Sesshiro said with some amusement, and Sha blinked.

Collecting himself, he answered, "She's even more beautiful than I imagined," causing Kagome to blush prettily and Genma's brows to lower noticeably.

The taiyoukai nodded agreeably and bowed to Genma. "Shall we proceed?" The old man stuck out his chin, squared his shoulders and tottered in the direction of the shrine. While Yayoi clasped her daughter's hand to assist her across the pavement, Sha took his place at Kagome's side. Sota popped open a parasol and shaded them from the sun, while Sesshiro, Tsugane and Tenmaru brought up the rear of the bridal procession.

For her part, Kagome was more than a little overwhelmed by the events of the morning and only now felt that she could breathe… despite the pressure that the _obi_ was putting on her midsection. Sha's comforting presence was gone when she woke up; instead, Buyo had prepared her as best she could for Mrs. Nishino's arrival and the resulting whirlwind of activity. _I've been in a daze since yesterday; this feels more than a little unreal, but it also somehow feels right._

_We're __really__ going through with it._ Sha caught Kagome's eye as they followed Genma, his towering black headgear bobbing like an animated fencepost. She smiled again, and he found confidence in her apparent happiness. _We'll make this work somehow; just gotta kill off Naraku first_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

A couple of hours later, Sha set down his tea cup and surveyed the festivities once politely contained within the Higurashi _tatami_ room that were now spilling out into the hallway and the kitchen. His nephews and new brother-in-law were in a rather suspicious huddle in the former, and his new mother-in-law was swapping recipes with Mrs. Nishino in the latter. His brother was making polite small talk with the Yoshidas, who had made it onto the approved guest list at the last minute when Mrs. Nishino somehow found out that Mrs. Yoshida was actually a dog-hanyou. "The Inuzuka clan, mind you, but still good people," she'd said to forestall Sesshiro's objections. "She sensed the _jyaki_ from Lord Ryukotsusei's attack, not to mention the Tetsusaiga's _youki_, and that's why she insisted on keeping the Higurashis overnight until the danger passed." The only hold-out to the general sense of goodwill was Genma Higurashi, who sat in stiff-necked silence on the other side of the table, petting Buyo with trembling hands.

_So far, nobody's slipped up and called anyone by the wrong name and the cat isn't risking death by cuddling up to Sess._ Sighing a little, he turned to see how his bride was holding up. Little wisps of dark hair had begun escaping from the restraining combs, and there was one delicate curl on the nape of her slender neck that he found highly attractive. Kagome was staring into the tea cup she held cradled in her hands, her cheeks flushed and her expression both soft and unreadable. Leaning closer, he murmured, "You okay?"

Carefully placing the half-empty cup on the table, well away from the precious silks, she replied, "It's a little warm in here; too many layers, I guess."

"You look great, though."

"Thanks." She peered at him through her lashes and beckoned him closer. Whispering in his 'ear', she said, "I'd like to see you with your silver hair in that outfit; you'd look so striking with all that black."

"Maybe later," he offered, impulsively catching hold of her hand. Kagome shyly ducked her head at first, but then wove her fingers with his in a simple gesture of solidarity.

"A-_hem_!" Everyone turned when Genma clapped his hands. "Sota! Bring the gift," he ordered, and the teen scrambled to straighten his kimono as he disappeared down the hall. The guests rearranged themselves for best viewing opportunities as he returned carrying a long, silk-wrapped parcel. Kneeling beside Genma, Sota placed the item on the table before Kagome and Sha. Looking more than a little sheepish, he removed the wrapper to reveal a familiar sutra-plastered case.

"The most precious treasure of the Sunset Shrine is my granddaughter," Genma wheezed. "The second most valuable lies before you. Please accept the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga as Kagome's dowry."

_I don't believe this… the cat was fucking right! Just not __quite__ how she thought the sword would enter the negotiations!_ Sha couldn't meet anyone's eyes because he knew that if he did, he'd lose his composure. Kagome squeezed Sha's suddenly nerveless fingers before letting go; the gentle pressure allowed him to collect himself and bow deeply. "It is truly an honour, Mr. Higurashi, to be in the presence of this historic weapon."

"The sword is a reminder that victory over evil is possible. As her husband, I charge you with keeping both my granddaughter and the Tetsusaiga safe."

_If you only knew how much I've done already, old man._ "I humbly accept the responsibility," Sha answered firmly. _I ain't touching it, though, just in case some of those sutras might still be 'live'!_

Genma unwittingly saved him. "Don't open it now; there is no place here for bad luck. Sota, perhaps you can carry it out to their car?"

The reception began breaking up shortly afterwards; Sota took the 'Tetsusaiga' out to the limo as requested. Sha hoped that the teen would sneak Yura's sword out of the case before stowing it in the limo. _Probably won't be able to speak with him in private before we leave, dammit. I'll have to send it back with one of the sentries._ Assisting Kagome to her feet, he held onto her hand as she bowed deeply to Sesshiro and thanked the Yoshidas for attending. Tsugane and Tenmaru stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with their new aunt; it appeared that Tsugane might forget that they were only supposed to have met a couple of hours previously and go for the hug instead of a bow, but he caught himself at the last moment.

While Kagome made a point of thanking Mrs. Nishino and the catering staff, causing the disguised dog-youkai to positively beam with pleasure at the compliments, Sha bowed to Genma, and was again alarmed at the elderly man's changed scent as he said, "I promise that I will be worthy of her."

Rheumy old eyes blinked slowly as Genma tilted his head just enough to squint up at the tall man towering over him. "I hope so, young man. You will make sure that she finishes her education?"

_If I can keep her alive long enough_. "Yes, of course."

Genma continued stroking Buyo's fur. "When her father died, I swore that Kagome would be given every opportunity to reach her full potential. As her husband, it is now your duty to fulfil that obligation."

The hanyou gulped at the sense of taking on another oath before replying, "I will."

The old man nodded while Buyo and Sha exchanged worried glances. "Very well," he sighed.

As Kagome knelt to wrap her arms around Genma's shoulders and whisper quiet reassurances, Sha stepped back and approached Yayoi. When he straightened from his bow, she lightly brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers. "Thank you for everything, my son."

His heart hitched at the familial term and the gentle way she spoke. "I didn't do much, ma'am."

Yayoi wagged her finger at him. "Enough of this formality! You may call me 'Mother' if you wish."

She didn't understand his crooked smile, but the emotion in his voice was plainly apparent. "It would be an honour, Mother."

Yayoi impulsively hugged him, while everyone in the room who was aware of the connection between them sighed, purred or smiled. Sha returned the embrace, trying not to crush the woman who embodied the security and love of his childhood. _I don't know what the gods are planning by giving me these second chances, but I damn well hope it isn't some kind of cosmic game they're playing with my heart._

Kagome then hugged her mother, who had a suspiciously-bright gaze when she released the young woman. "Be happy together," she declared. "You are the future of our families."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Outside, Sota hovered next to the limousine. "I put Sis' bow and arrows into the trunk along with her overnight bag," he hurriedly told Sha in a low voice as Mrs. Nishino assisted Kagome and her finery into the car while Tsugane and Tenmaru looked on. Sesshiro and the Yoshidas had remained inside the house to visit a little longer with Yayoi and Genma, which not only kept the emotional toll of farewells under control, but also allowed the gathered youkai to discuss their next move.

"Good thinking," the hanyou replied. "Take Yura's sword, if you haven't already. It's a good thing to have on hand, and you've proven that you know how to use it."

"I nearly _died_ when Gramps told me he was giving you the 'Tetsusaiga'," Sota grinned. "He either likes you, or he felt that he'd been outdone in the negotiations yesterday."

"More than likely the latter, since Father totally put the screws to him," Tsugane smirked. As the teen moved to retrieve the sword from the limo's trunk, a cell phone jangled. Tsugane pulled the device out of his sleeve and frowned lightly at the displayed number; he'd barely answered it when the caller started jabbering wildly. The dog-hanyou's eyebrows went through some impressive gyrations before he barked, "When did they show up? Yeah? That's a little too coincidental for my liking… how many? _Crap_. Who'd they talk to? Excellent. He's good at playing dumb." Chewing his lip, he added, "Hang tough; we'll be back in half an hour or so."

"What's up?" Sha asked as Tsugane shoved his phone back into his clothing.

"Apparently there's a crowd of reporters milling around outside Western House's main gate."

"Somebody leaked the news of the wedding?" Tenmaru hazarded. "Society reports about the House of the West sell papers."

"More serious than that, I'm afraid. I'm gonna go grab Father; he needs to hear this," Tsugane said grimly.

"I'll do it," Sota volunteered and darted into the house through the foyer, his kimono sleeves flying.

"Hide the sword first!" Sha called after him.

"Has there been an attack?" Kagome anxiously asked from inside the limo as Mrs. Nishino exited and stood aside.

"Not exactly."

"What news?" Sesshiro demanded without preamble as he strode towards them from the direction of the front door, Sota jogging in his wake.

"There's a mob of press besieging Western House, wanting to know the Nishiki clan's connection to one Miss Abihime Tekkaido, now deceased," Tsugane answered.

"What the _hell_? Who would've leaked _that_?" Sha growled. "The girl's mother?"

Tenmaru's phone went off at that moment, and as he read the text message, he went rather pale. "Not according to this; Mrs. Tekkaido's body was found in her home a few minutes ago. She'd recently been ill, and a follow-up team were checking on her because she took a turn for the worse at the news of her daughter's death."

"Cause of death?"

"Traces of _shouki_ in the remains… huh?" Tenmaru looked up, clearly puzzled. "What kind of youkai uses _shouki_?"

"Those that originate in swamps," Sesshiro rumbled. "Some species of salamanders and toads, for example; she may have eaten something that disagreed with her."

Tenmaru scrolled rapidly. "Not unless her stomach is located inside her skull."

Sha's _youki_ flared. "It's _gotta _be Naraku," he declared. "He's the only outsider who knew what happened yesterday… and he stinks like he has dozens of different youkai inside him."

Kagome tentatively offered, "He threatened to absorb Miss Buyo during Ryu-whatsis' attack on Thursday."

"So he could've easily taken in a youkai with _shouki_ abilities," Tsugane opined. "_Crap_, this just keeps getting better!"

"Brother, take your lady wife to your apartment until we have dealt with the annoyance. Tsugane, double the guard here as well as at Miss Mifune's home."

"I thought you said 'safety in numbers'?" Sha objected.

"An unidentified woman's arrival in full wedding finery will cause a media frenzy; we will gamble that Naraku is unaware of your bolt-hole, at least for a few hours." Sesshiro turned to Sota, who straightened up smartly under that eagle-sharp gaze. "It is your duty and the Shrine Guardian's to keep your lady mother and grandfather indoors as much as possible for the rest of the day, or until the situation stabilizes."

"Yes, sir!"

"Tenmaru, you will oversee operations here," Sesshiro murmured as a second, identical limousine purred into the courtyard. "When it is safe to return, Brother, I will contact you." The taiyoukai slanted a look at his sons. "You have retrieved your weapons?"

"Yes, Father!" they chorused.

As Sha entered the limo and seated himself across from Kagome, Tenmaru added, "Tetsusaiga is under your bench seat, Uncle," and then smiled at the young woman. "We'll see you in a little while, Aunt."

"Just watch your step; Uncle has particularly ferocious dust bunnies," Tsugane chimed in as he closed the car door on Sha's retort.

After the car had turned around and reversed her orientation, Kagome sat forward to watch the house recede through the rear window. "You all right?" Sha asked.

Without looking at him, she softly replied, "I will be… it's just an awful lot, all at once, you know?"

Sha tried his best to school his expression. _Looks like Tsugane was right __again__, dammit. I wish that I had his advantage of knowing her for a couple of years__. _

A pair of outriders joined them as the car rolled through the gates; she watched them for a moment before asking, "What if the press shows up at the Shrine?"

"The guardsmen will keep them off the grounds," he answered. "If Naraku _is_ behind this, Western House makes a more high-profile target. Plus, there's a small chance that he thinks we're inside the main house… if he somehow missed the activity here today."

"What if splitting us up is actually his plan?"

"My apartment is in a block owned by my brother; we're surrounded by loyal dog-youkai if he does try anything."

"But… more people could die," she protested anxiously, her fingers crumpling the rich material of the _uchikake_.

"That's a risk," he agreed uncomfortably, and they fell into a tense silence.

After a few blocks spent torturing her kimono sleeve, Kagome asked, "Mrs. Nishino was adamant that I not wear the hood; do you know why?"

"The hood? Oh, you mean the thingie that hides your 'horns of jealousy' during the ceremony?" When she nodded, Sha grinned. "Plenty of youkai have _real_ horns, so it'd be an insult to the bride to cover them up."

"I didn't mind, but Grandpa wasn't very happy about it," she confessed. "He wasn't in good shape, was he?"

"His scent was messed up, but Buyo will let Tenmaru know if there's a problem," he replied.

"_That's_ a relief," she sighed, then absently tugged on her _obi_. "I can't _wait_ to get out of these robes!"

"Oi… why did you ask the photographer for a picture of us under the Goshinboku?"

The young woman smiled quietly. "If you look through our family albums, every significant occasion features a photograph under the sacred tree. When we came home from the hospital as babies, the first day of school, middle school graduation, high school festival costumes… birthdays… my _Seijinshiki_… the day wasn't complete without a picture in front of that white picket fence."

"A real tradition, huh?"

Her smile became wistful. "And now you're part of it; you seemed pleased that Mom asked you to call her 'Mother'."

It was his turn to smile wryly. "More than you can ever know."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

After their escorts handed over her suitcase and weapons, Kagome stepped out of her _zori_ in the tiny foyer as Sha propped her bow and quiver behind the door with Tetsusaiga. She looked around the small apartment, the walls of the combination living room/bedroom lined with cupboards and the available floor space nearly filled with a large futon unfolded on its frame and a low table. "Come in," Sha invited. "Tsugane was exaggerating, but it _is_ kinda dusty. I, er, haven't let the cleaning staff in here for a while."

"Um… why not?" she asked, eyeing the piles of clothing casually dropped here and there, not to mention the tumbled mess of bedding on full display.

"I moved over here for some privacy," he replied shortly. "Would you like something to drink? I have tea."

"Tea would be _great_; I'd really like to get changed, too."

He cast around for a moment, seemingly at a loss. "There's the laundry room or the toilet, if you want some privacy," he said, pointing at a pair of pocket doors beside the kitchen doorway. "I don't have any hanging screens."

"I'll take the laundry room; I don't think the toilet is the appropriate place for antique silk!"

"Sounds good; I'll help you fold the kimono… uh, lemme sweep the floor first."

Keeping a firm grip on the _uchikake_'s train with one hand, Kagome picked up her suitcase with the other and entered the laundry room while Sha set the kettle to boil in the miniscule kitchen. Hastily gathering all the laundry into one pile, he was about to tackle the bedding when Kagome poked her head out of the door. "I'm in a bit of pickle," she began. "I seem to have forgotten my shirt; can I borrow a t-shirt or something?"

The hanyou chuckled. "As a matter of fact, I still have your sweatshirt, but I haven't had a chance to wash it."

Kagome glanced at the hillock of laundry. "Really?" she commented dryly. "Can't imagine what's kept you from your housekeeping duties!"

"Just a couple of minor things… dragon-youkai and weddings come to mind," he retorted good-naturedly. "I'll grab it for you." Crossing to the shelving unit, he retrieved the brilliant yellow garment.

As he handed it to her, she hesitated a moment before shyly asking, "Would you, um, take off your concealment spell for me?"

Sha smiled indulgently. "Sure." Within a few moments, he pulled the loosened necklace over his head and then released his hair from the neat ponytail that Sesshiro had insisted upon.

Kagome hugged the sweatshirt to her chest as she admired the contrast between the gleaming black of his formal clothing and the shining silver of his hair. "So handsome," she sighed appreciatively.

"You think so?" he asked cheekily, preening a bit.

Giving him a straight look, she answered, "Yes, I do."

Bowing with mock-formality, he loftily replied, "Thank you."

"It would've been nice to have a picture of us without your concealment spell, but that's impossible," she said wistfully.

"There'll be other opportunities… like maybe when Sess marries Miss Mifune."

"Has he introduced himself to her?" Kagome asked in surprise. "Just a couple of days ago Tsugane said they were waiting for an opportunity to do so."

"Not yet, but I'm sure it'll be soon."

Casting about for a new topic, she offered, "We could be here for a few hours, so we might as well do something constructive."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking along the lines of some clean-up."

"You want to do _housework_ on your wedding day? O-o-okay," he drawled sardonically.

"It beats doing homework, which is also in my bag."

"Don't know if I can take all that excitement."

Serious grey eyes caused the rest of his smart comment to die in his throat. "I've had enough excitement for this past week to last me a lifetime… and there's no end in sight."

As she disappeared into the laundry room, Sha mentally kicked himself. _Congrats, hanyou, on your outstanding ability to say the wrong thing at exactly the right time._ Shucking his _haori_ and dropping it onto the bed, he peeled out of his kimono and left the layers hanging around his waist as he went into the kitchen to deal with the kettle.

When Kagome came out carrying an armload of silk, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of a half-naked Sha stretching up to retrieve teapot and cups from an overhead cabinet. _Oh… my… goodness…! _Colour instantly flooded her cheeks, and she swallowed very hard at the lean, muscled body now on display. _That's just… __wow__. _

She saw his nose twitch just before his head snapped around, and the intense look in his golden eyes made it perfectly obvious that he knew _exactly_ how her body was reacting to the view… and made him appear more than a little predatory. _I forgot about his sense of smell! _ "Um… where should I put these?" she squeaked, waving the kimono.

He recalled himself and did his very best to appear unthreatening. "Probably safest to lay them on the bed."

"I'll just, um, take care of this stuff first, okay?" Avoiding his gaze, she checked the low table for drip marks before laying out the borrowed finery, then hastily gathered up the sheets. Fleeing into the laundry room, she loaded the machine. _I can't go back out there until I'm sure I won't embarrass myself any more than I already have!_ In an effort to stall, she peeked inside an inner door and discovered a small but functional bathroom with a sink, an open shower and a tall, square tub with a bench seat across one end. Taking the opportunity to splash some cold water on her face, Kagome focussed on her breathing until her heart rate slowed down. _Hopefully he'll have put on some clothes in the meantime!_

When she exited, even more of Sha was briefly on display. In the process of donning a t-shirt, he'd pulled both of the kimono completely out of his _hakama_, and the loosened garment was now riding dangerously low on his hips. Some highly attractive masculine contours were revealed, the toned skin below his navel adorned with a downy silver trail that disappeared beneath the waistband. Smoothing the snug fabric down over his abdomen, Sha announced in a neutral tone, "Tea's almost ready."

"Uh… great," she weakly replied.

Sha brushed past her on his way into the laundry room and came out a few minutes later wearing a pair of jeans that fit him _extremely_ well. "Tea first, then kimono-folding?" he blandly suggested, when she seemed incapable of doing anything more than blushing when she looked at him. "Mrs. Nishino will have my ears if my good clothes aren't looked after properly." When she nodded, he waved her to a seat at the low table as he went to collect the tea. Seating himself across from her, he served each of them a steaming cup. Watching her over the rim of his, he couldn't help but smirk a little at her obvious fluster before sobering. _Damn. She's really stressed, and I'm not helping. Have to get her to relax, somehow… crap, don't want the Jewel deciding that __I'm__ a threat because she's so agitated!_

Her next question didn't seem designed to help the cause, however. "Um, when you said that I could stay with you the other day, where did you intend that I would sleep?"

"You'd have the bed; I'd take the wall."

"The wall?"

"If we were staying here overnight, I'd be sitting up with Tetsusaiga. Can't be too careful, at least until Naraku's dead," he answered, then added in an attempt to be reassuring, "Sess has assigned us Wisteria House at the main compound; it has two bedrooms."

"Oh… I see," she murmured, then smiled gamely. "Thank you for the consideration."

"I'm hardly going to insist on any marital rights, especially since this is sort of a marriage of convenience."

"Of convenience? Wh-what do you mean?"

"We had to get you away from the Shrine as fast as possible, right?" Even as he said it, Sha knew that wasn't the right answer. _Shit. How'm I gonna fix this?_

Kagome's eyes clouded. "Am I just… a means to an end?" she whispered tightly, staring at the table between them.

"Come again?" he asked, bewildered.

"Once Naraku is dead, then does this relationship end?"

_Holy gods… blunt, much? _ "Only if that's what _you_ want," the hanyou carefully replied. "I told you before… I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, and staying at your side is the easiest way to do that." Sha leaned forward, fixing the young woman with a direct look. "The Jewel and 'destiny' be damned, I want to be with you, Kagome." Satisfied that he had her full attention, he continued, "You've accepted me for what I am, and that means _everything_ to me."

She stared at him, open-mouthed, as she absorbed his words. "I've had a lot of trouble with this 'destiny' thing," she finally admitted, "worrying if I was just a replacement…."

"The gods might have a hand in bringing two souls together, but they can't control how it works out because there are real people involved. I've seen _that_ reality in action with Sess and Tenmaru's mother; things can get rocky when you have two strong personalities involved, but if the relationship is based on mutual respect, everything works out."

"My mom and dad had a good marriage… as short as it was," Kagome said, with a wistful smile. "He'd courted her for a couple of years before proposing; she always said that he was her best friend, which was pretty unusual. Daddy wasn't your typical salaryman because he always came home to us instead of doing the after-work partying."

On a sudden impulse, Sha asked, "What was your father like?"

"Tall, very handsome… had a big, booming laugh. I know he drove Grandpa crazy sometimes, too."

"How so?"

"He was supposed to be the Shrine's next head priest, of course, but he didn't take religious studies and was more interested in swords. When I was little, I used to sneak out of bed to watch him from my bedroom window as he practiced kenjutsu under the Goshinboku in the evenings." Kagome sighed softly. "He also told me that I should ignore anyone who told me that I couldn't do something because I was a girl, and to always finish what I started."

_There's no rule that says a soul has to stay __youkai__, so maybe the old man __was__ reincarnated as a human._ "When did he pass away?"

"He died in an accident when Sota was a baby."

_Might be a coincidence, might not. Makes me happy to think that maybe he found Mother again._ "That's something we have in common… we were raised by our mothers," Sha commented, then said, "Let's get at those kimono and avoid the wrath of Mrs. Nishino."

"Is she that scary?"

"She makes Sess run for cover… although he'd never admit it."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

As she knelt on the floor beside Sha, neatly folding the many layers of their wedding garb, Kagome found the silence extremely unsettling. Not because of whom she was with, but because the repetitive, mindless nature of what they were doing gave her too much time to think.

Sha kept his mouth shut until he couldn't stand the palpable sadness clouding the young woman's scent. _Maybe if I can get her to open up… fuck, I'm no good at this shit, but I have to __try__._ "What's wrong, Kagome?" he hesitantly ventured.

She smoothed a silken sleeve. Without looking up, she said, "Can't fool your nose, huh?"

"Or my eyes, either. That's the fifth time you've straightened that seam." Continuing his own folding, he urged, "Talk to me."

"I don't want to bother you."

"Bother me all you want," Sha assured. "I need to know what's going on inside your head."

Sighing deeply, she finally said, "Until six days ago, I didn't know that youkai were real. Then, I found out that not only do they exist, but I have something inside me that they all want and that they're willing to kill for."

"Not all of them," he quietly observed.

Kagome managed a faint smile. "No, not all of them." Helping him align the front panels of a tonally-embroidered under-kimono, she admitted, "I feel trapped, like the Jewel is taking away everything I've ever known and ever hoped for."

A sudden thought occurred to Sha as he folded in one side of the rich garment. "Something else we have in common… the Jewel was responsible for trapping me, too." When she looked up, her eyes wide, he caught hold of her hand. "The Jewel has taken away from both of us, but it's also given back." Lightly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, he softly added, "I have someone to protect, along with her family; _I _think I came out ahead."

The young woman blinked rapidly, then pulled her hand free in order to throw her arms around him in a heartfelt hug. Sha quickly returned the embrace, encouraging her to remain. "Th-thank you," she finally whispered into his shoulder. "I needed that reminder."

"Any time, Kagome," he answered, resting his cheek against her hair. "Don't forget… we're in this together."

She first groaned, then giggled. "Our new family motto, apparently," she chuckled.

When she grinned at him, Sha smiled back, relieved to see the hint of a sparkle in her eyes. In that moment of stillness, comfortably ensconced in each others arms, something between them shifted. Kagome's gaze dropped to his lips, and he barely had time to hope before she kissed him. The caress was butterfly-light and equally fleeting, but he was already returning it before she had time to regret her impetuousness. Following up the kiss with a tender nuzzle to her cheek, he held her close. _There's no nervousness in her scent… finally_.

Tucked under Sha's chin, Kagome hugged him back just as tightly, surprising herself with how easily she became accustomed to his embrace_. I feel so safe when I'm with him… and he's right. My life won't ever go back to the way it was; I have to make an effort to find the positive instead of dwelling on the negative. _Sighing, she snuggled against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

For his part, Sha could've sat there for the rest of the afternoon, holding Kagome and breathing her scent, but a memory that had been tugging on the corner of his mind finally made it past the sense of contentment long enough to make him sit up straight. _I'll bet that's why! _ "Dammit, why didn't I think of that before?" Kagome blinked at his random outburst; he squished her a little and released her. "Don't move… I just remembered something."

Bouncing upright, he fairly leapt over the furniture and grabbed Tetsusaiga from the corner behind the door. Wearing a broad grin, he returned, seated himself and quickly scooped her into his lap. Bracketing her with his arms, he effectively barred her easy escape by using the sword as a crossbar… not that she was trying to wriggle loose. In fact, Kagome settled herself comfortably against his chest. "What did you remember?" she asked, running her fingertip along the black scabbard.

"The Tetsusaiga was forged with one purpose… to protect my human mother," Sha answered, not quite able to contain his excitement. "By extension, its mandate includes _all_ humans."

"Um, yeah?" She was plainly puzzled.

"I've been trying for centuries to regain Tetsusaiga simply because it was _mine_, not because I had a _need _for it. I'll bet that it was given back to me _now_ because I have a human wife to protect."

"Really?"

The hanyou looked rather sheepish. "Maybe the gods have decided that I'm finally mature enough to respect the Tetsusaiga's power. Before I was pinned to the Goshinboku, I was a real punk kid; didn't think twice about practicing the Kaze-no-Kizu whenever I felt like it, no matter who might get hurt."

She bit her lip, thinking carefully. "So, you're saying that you had to be ready for the responsibility before I could be born, because I'm the only one that could release Tetsusaiga… because the Jewel needed the Tetsusaiga to protect the human Shikon miko?"

He whistled admiringly. "That makes sense… in a really scary sort of way."

Kagome stroked the tattered hilt. "When I opened the Tetsusaiga's case that day, its _youki_ first snarled at me, but then it kinda… _hugged_ me, like it was telling me not to be afraid."

Sha rested the sword across her lap and ran his hands through her hair in exactly the same way that Tetsusaiga's _youki_ had soothed her fears. "It has good taste in women," he murmured and then tilted her face towards his for a tender, lingering kiss. When they broke apart, Kagome's eyes were misty and her cheeks tinted pink, her lips parted as she caught her breath… and he had to restrain himself from pouncing on her right there and then. Instead, he reluctantly said, "We'd better finish the folding so when the call comes, we're ready to go."

"I suppose so," she sighed, and they slowly untangled themselves. A couple of kimono later, Kagome impulsively reached over and squeezed Sha's hand. "I'm glad that we had this time to ourselves," she murmured.

"Me, too."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"I'm _wiped_," Kagome announced a couple of hours later, pushing away from the homework spread over the table.

"I'm impressed that you've held out this long," Sha commented from the futon, which had been folded up into a couch to facilitate his horizontal television-viewing. "You had an early start today."

The young woman yawned and stretched her arms up over her head. "It seems to be taking them a while… do you think everything's all right?" she asked as she eyed the images flickering across the television screen; the volume had been turned down so low that only Sha could hear it. _A definite advantage of having a dog-eared hanyou as a husband; we can be in the same room while I'm studying!_

"Sess'll call as soon as the coast is clear," Sha said, keeping his own niggling concerns to himself. "Why don't you have a nap?"

"_Mmm_… good idea," she mumbled, loosening her hair from the messy up-do she'd created using his leather hair tie and a couple of the fancy combs.

He admired the way the glossy strands tumbled down around her face and over her shoulders, then noted the way she was speculatively eyeing the couch. "C'mere," he invited, shifting onto his side and patting the narrow open space beside him. "Room for two… if you don't mind very close quarters."

"I've slept sitting up in a train at rush hour, and when somebody's butt is in your face, _that's_ 'close quarters'!"

Chuckling, he turned off the television before reaching down and shaking out the folded blanket currently covering his feet. As he held open the thick fabric for her, Kagome didn't hesitate, sliding in with her back to him and cuddling against the length of his body. Taking over one half of his pillow while he was busy arranging the blanket over them, she gave every appearance of being perfectly happy with the arrangement. Sha wasn't about to argue; instead, he slid one arm under her neck and draped the other one over her waist. _Dammit, she smells __so__ good… she's __so__ warm… __and__ in my bed…_

After they were settled, and just as he realized that staying even semi-conscious for security purposes was going to be difficult, Kagome whispered, "I missed you this morning when I woke up," sounding mildly reproachful.

"Didn't think it'd be a good idea for your mother to find me in bed with you, considering that I didn't exactly come in through the front door," he mumbled into her hair.

"That could've been a tricky conversation," she sleepily agreed, and tucked her slender hand inside his much larger one. Sha squeezed gently in response; the only sound after that was their breathing, and he sensed the moment Kagome fell asleep in the way her body fully relaxed against his. Pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck, he dozed off with a smile curving his lips.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The hanyou woke after an hour or so with absolutely no desire to move any time soon. _I really should phone Sess… really, I should… but, another twenty minutes won't matter._ Sighing deeply, he nuzzled the delicate skin behind Kagome's ear as he cuddled her a little closer and fell back asleep.

Kagome awakened shortly thereafter with Sha's breath on her neck and his body spooned intimately against hers… and a strong feeling of contentment and intense attraction thrumming through her veins. As she ran her fingertip over the sharply-pointed claw on the end of his index finger, he stirred.

"Time to get moving?" came a low, sexy rumble as Sha rose up on one elbow.

Kagome looked over her shoulder at the golden-eyed man before squirming onto her back. They gazed at each other for a long moment before she boldly cupped his face between her palms. "You have the most beautiful eyes," she murmured, brushing her thumbs over his cheeks as she admired his amber irises framed by thick black lashes. Her glance slid upwards. "And the cutest ears."

Sha's knowing grin exposed his fang tips just before he ducked his head. "Go ahead… I know you wanna." She giggled a little as she threaded her fingers into his hair and carefully rubbed around the thick, fleshy base of his ear, amazed at the muscle structure supporting it… and the deep, almost-purring sound emanating from his chest. "Little more to the left… yeah, that's it… gods, that feels _good_," he groaned.

She took advantage of his obvious enjoyment to pet both ears at the same time, then was somewhat taken aback when he literally draped himself over her, his face ending up buried in her bosom. When he sighed happily, she continued caressing the drooping, velvety triangles while he made appropriate noises of encouragement until he admitted, "I don't let just _anybody_ touch my ears, ya know."

"Good, because I don't let just _anybody_ cuddle up to my breasts, either."

There was a pause, and then Sha let out a bark of laughter. "What's that word? Touché?" he chortled, but he didn't move from his comfortable spot. When he finally did, Kagome caught her breath. His eyes had darkened to a shade of golden-bronze, with a softened quality that made her heart skip a beat. When he closed the gap between them, she eagerly met him half way, fully conscious of his weight pressing her into the futon and the way his arms tightened around her as their kiss became more heated. When his tongue teased the seam between her lips, she willingly opened to him and wasn't quite able to suppress her soft moan of pleasure. She had just returned the favour and begun exploring his fangs when her stomach growled. _Loudly._

Sha broke the kiss, laughing softly; as her eyes flew open, he kissed her forehead. "_Somebody's_ hungry… even after all that great food?"

Kagome blinked rapidly as the hanyou threw off the blanket, rolled over her, and stood up before offering her his hand. "You've never tried eating while wearing a tightly-cinched _obi_, have you?" she retorted, wondering why he backed off so easily, but also feeling the tiniest bit relieved. She had part of her answer when she noticed the significant bulge in the front of his jeans, which just happened to be at her eye-level, before he raised her to her feet. The confirmation came when he enfolded her in a tender hug.

"I don't know if I could stop if we kept on going," he whispered in her ear, "and your scent tells me that you're not ready for that."

"I-I'm sorry…."

"Don't be; there's no need to rush things between us." Releasing her with real reluctance, Sha noted in passing that it was growing dark outside. Kagome's stomach growled again and he headed for the kitchen. "I have fresh ramen, but I'm running low on vegetables," he grumbled once he'd reminded himself of the sparse contents of the small refrigerator.

"Is there a market nearby?"

"A couple of blocks up the street."

"We could walk up… what?" she asked at his frown.

Sha scratched his ear. "Dunno if that's a good idea, considering what happened the last time we ventured out in public, and you can't exactly take your weapons."

"Oh… right," she mumbled, involuntarily shivering.

"I'll send one of the guardsmen," he decided. "Better make a list." As he located a pencil and paper, he watched Kagome walk slowly across the room. She pressed her nose against the window, staring outside with a stoic expression that caused the hanyou to make a split-second decision that he hoped wouldn't backfire. _Keeping her cooped up in order to protect her just might break her spirit after all._ "On the other hand, we could both use some fresh air and the guardsmen have been cooling their heels in the elevator lobby all afternoon; they're probably bored out of their minds and wouldn't mind stretching their legs," Sha declared

Kagome's face brightened and she practically bounced across the room to collect her leather jacket from her suitcase. However, when she tried to put it on, she discovered a problem. "It won't fit over my sweatshirt!"

Sha glanced up from where he was sliding Tetsusaiga into its carrying case. "You can borrow one of my t-shirts," he offered.

Kagome quickly located a white v-neck example and darted into the laundry room to change… then eyed herself askance. _This neckline is a little lower than I normally would like, but I'll just keep my jacket zipped up._ She was back out in the main room and in the process of pulling her hair free of the jacket's collar when Sha noticed the view provided by her new top.

"You can borrow my t-shirts any time," he smirked, eyeing her modest cleavage. "Specially _that_ one."

She put her nose in the air as she fastened her jacket, but after he slung the Tetsusaiga across his back, she stepped right up and took the concealment anchor out of his hand. When he bowed his head for her to slip the necklace over his ears, she kissed his forehead. Settling the _magatama_ into the dip of his collarbone, she was about to step away but he cupped the back of her head with his hand and pulled her in to brush his lips across her cheek.

After he'd called the guardsmen to warn them of the upcoming expedition, not to mention give them time to rub the sleep out of their eyes, Sha locked the apartment door behind them. As they walked down the corridor to the elevators, he offered her his arm. Taking it with a smile, Kagome chuckled, "How domestic of us… going grocery shopping!"

Sha shot her a dry look. "It's about as close to 'domesticated' as _I'll_ ever get."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"_Brrr!_ This wind… it's really gusting!" Kagome complained a half-hour later, pulling the collar of her jacket up around her ears and hunching her shoulders as she shoved her hands in her pockets. The bag of groceries then bounced off her thigh with every step, so she gave up and tried instead to pull her hand as far up inside her sleeve as possible. "It seems to be looking for bare skin to freeze!"

"Could be," Sha agreed absently, his invisible ears twirling as he monitored the sounds and smells of the street for possible threats and keeping one eye on the placement of their escort. Planning on which side to dodge around the family puttering along in front of them and blocking most of the sidewalk, he was momentarily distracted when a grumbling Kagome huddled into his side.

"Isn't she cute?" the young woman commented in an undertone a moment later, smiling at the little pig-tailed girl traipsing along ahead of them, hanging onto her long-suffering big brother's hand and jabbering a mile a second. Just then, the stuffed black piglet dangling by its hind leg from the toddler's chubby hand went bouncing across the sidewalk, and Kagome instantly dove for it as the panicked wails started. The act of extending her arm caused her sleeve to ride up… and the wind struck.

An airy coil wrapped around her forearm and _something_ bit down hard on her wrist. "_Ouch!_" she yelped, snatching back her hand, but recovered quickly enough to retrieve the toy and present it to the child.

"Thank you!" the mother exclaimed, bowing. "She'd have been inconsolable without her Ryoga!" With some maternal urging and a nudge from her big brother, the little girl bobbed a bow, clutching the piglet to her chest in a death grip.

Kagome rubbed her throbbing wrist as she returned the bow; Sha instantly hovered. "What's wrong?" he asked in a low voice, the guardsmen drawing closer into a defensive circle.

"I know it sounds silly, but it really feels like something bit me," she confessed.

Bending closer to peer at her skin, he frowned lightly. "I don't see any marks." Sniffing, he added, "There's a bit of a funny smell, but it could be from that kid's toy." Tucking his hand under her elbow, he drew her into his side, hoping that the sick feeling in his stomach wasn't a harbinger of disaster. Bracketed by the guardsmen, they hustled towards the apartment building.

They had only gone half a block when Kagome suddenly observed, "That crazy wind has completely died down."

Sha tightened his grip. "Do you think there's a connection?"

Her wrist gave a sharp twinge as she replied, "I hope not."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The tiny kitchen barely accommodated two adults, but neither really minded because the close quarters gave them plenty of opportunity to brush up against each other as vegetables and noodles were cooked and tea brewed. While Kagome portioned out the food and located chopsticks, Sha took the cups to the table.

"Are you going to call your brother after dinner?" she asked, breaking the companionable silence as they slurped.

"Yeah. I'm sorta hoping that 'no news is good news'," he answered, chasing a piece of tofu around his bowl before cornering it. "How's the arm?"

"Still sore."

After downing the broth in his bowl, he suggested, "I'll bet some of that green tea ice cream you talked me into buying will fix you right up."

"Worth a try," she gamely smiled as he disappeared into the kitchen.

As Sha plucked two bowls out of the cupboard and then reached into the freezer, the hair on the back of his neck stood straight up at Kagome's panicked cry. Lunging around the corner, he was brought up short by the sight of blackened vine-like markings coiling malevolently around her wrist and snaking up her bare arm before disappearing under her sleeve. A moment later, darkness bloomed in the centre of her chest. "_Kagome!_ What…?"

Rising to her knees, the young woman swayed drunkenly as she stared down at the evil-looking markings. _What's happening?_ Ice flooded through her veins and she lost control of her muscles. Strong arms caught her before she hit the floor, but she realized with a sense of horror that she was paralyzed. _I can't speak or see! My body… it's so heavy… can't move…._

_**Hello, little miko. Shall we dance? **_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"_Honestly_! How long does it take those idiots to get into position?"

"Patience, my friend."

"We've been sitting here for _hours_!"

A cell phone display glowed in the darkened back seat beside the speaker, revealing long, metal claws. "Fifteen minutes, actually."

"Well, it _seems_ like hours. I'm _sooo_ _bored_!"

"You'll be seeing plenty of action soon enough. Be thankful you were assigned to this operation instead of the other."

A histrionic sigh was heaved. "I suppose you're right."

A perky J-pop tune broke the silence in the front seat; there was a brief, terse exchange before the cell phone was snapped shut. "They're ready."

"Oooh, wait a minute! I have to touch up my lipstick!"

The man in the passenger seat's white teeth glinted in the light cast by the tiny mirror as he watched his compatriot apply a layer of gloss. When the cosmetics were stowed, he casually waved his hand. "Fire when ready." The misshapen driver grunted as he pressed a button mounted on the side of the steering wheel, and as two missiles roared out of the ports and blasted the Sunset Shrine's wooden entrance gates into splinters, the flash from the explosions lit up the four-pointed star on the speaker's forehead. "Remember… we get a hefty bonus for taking the son alive."

"Everyone else is fair game, right?" the lipstick-wearing member asked eagerly.

"Especially the family cat; there's a bounty on her head, too."

"On a _cat_?"

"Who cares? Narakage Hitomi's money is good."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: Haori-himo: **When Japanese men put on their most formal traditional clothing, their black _haori_ are held closed by a white cord ornamented with a fluffy tassel. This cord is the vestige of a practical accessory worn by samurai to tie back their sleeves if they were ambushed. The _haori-himo_'s original form is prominently featured in _Rurouni Kenshin_ as a distinguishing feature of the Shinsengumi uniform.

**Takoyaki**: Grilled octopus balls. Part of the attraction of this snack food is the contrast between the crisp exterior, the silky interior and the chewy morsel of octopus; divine when served piping hot and drizzled with spicy _takoyaki_ sauce and Japanese mayo.

**Shouki:** Naraku's signature weapon; most commonly translated as 'miasma' in the VIZ manga, it literally means 'swamp gas'.

**Seijinshiki**: the national day of celebration, where all young women and men who turn twenty in that year and are therefore of legal age put on their finest _furisode_ kimono or _haori_ and _hakama_ (or suit and tie) to be fêted by family with formal portraits, banquets and their first legal tastes of saké. This national recognition includes all citizens and supersedes the traditional _mogi_ and _genpuku_ ceremonies, held respectively for 14-year-old girls and 15-year-old boys from the samurai class. _Seijinshiki_ takes place on the second Monday in January.


	11. Cursed

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** In the anime/manga, there is no special 'attack name' used when Inuyasha employs the Red Tetsusaiga. Instead, he merely scowls, the blade turns red, and he unleashes a barrier-busting Kaze-no-Kizu. Because Feni can't leave well enough alone, she decided to riff on both Inuyasha's Hijin Kessou attack as well as the Red Tetsusaiga's origin in Shiori's blood-coral orb and came up with _Hijinsaiga_, or 'Blood Fang'.

**Bouquets** to my lovely CMAs: Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose, who often make me curl up in a ball and whimper plaintively.

**Warnings:** Blood, guts and other varieties of violently messy character death, coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter Eleven: Cursed**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"_Kagome!_ Wake up!" Sha shook the limp young woman, his movements made ungentle by his fear. "Say something… _please_!" Her head lolled disconcertingly against his shoulder, her exposed skin chillingly cold under his hands. _Fuck! What the hell am I supposed to __do__?_ Scooping her up, Sha moved Kagome onto the couch and covered her with the blanket. Trailing his fingers down the side of her neck, he frowned. _Her pulse is racing; no wonder she fainted. _ The dark, irregular patch centred on her heart seemed to throb with its own beat as he inspected it. _Must be a trick of the light._ Tucking the blanket around her shoulders, Sha brushed his wife's bangs away from her face and bent to kiss her icy cheek. _I'm screwed sideways, no matter who I call for help. This is __my__ fucking fault._

Retrieving his cell phone from his jacket pocket, Sha turned his back on Kagome as he moved towards the window and punched in Tsugane's number. The connection cut immediately to voice mail, and he cursed. Snarling in frustration, he had just dialled Tenmaru when a disturbance in the air had him instinctively dodging sideways as a glowing _black_ arrow slammed into the wall not far from where his head had been a moment before. Spinning and dropping into a crouch, Sha's jaw dropped at the sight of Kagome, on her feet by the entry door and pointing another arrow at him. Narrowing his eyes, he assessed the young woman as he would any other opponent and realized that something was wrong. _Her stance is off, and she's shaking so badly that she can hardly hold her bow… lucky for me._ "Kagome?" he called softly, and in response she raised her head, revealing pupils so widely dilated that her eyes appeared as black as the malevolent markings coiling up her arm.

"_R-r-run_," she gritted out, sweat beading on her cheeks and dripping off her jaw, her entire body trembling as she took aim.

_She's fighting against something… or __someone__._ "What's going on?"

"Can't... control my… body," she rasped. "Voice… inside head…."

_**Stubborn little wretch! Kill him!**_

"Naraku's voice?" Sha edged towards her, keeping one eye on the shaking, sizzling arrowhead.

_**Obey me, damn you! Kill him NOW!**_

"_R-run_, Sha!" Kagome begged, the bow creaking as her hands pulled the bowstring taut.

"And leave you to face this alone? _Never._"

_**Loyal to the death; how sweet.**_

The arrowhead glowed eerily, the black energy dribbling from the tip. Kagome wavered on her feet, mumbling, "I _won't_ do as you say!"

_**Oh, you will… you cannot defy my curse for long!**_

The black markings rapidly spiralled down her other arm and over both hands, with the immediate result that her upper body's movements became more controlled. "Sha… please… get away," the young woman choked out, even as she sighted down the arrow's shaft.

Instead of obeying, the hanyou stood up tall and fully faced her. Spreading his arms wide, he sneered, "Whoever you are… take your best shot, because you're only gettin' _one_ before it's _our_ turn."

_**Such misplaced confidence! End this farce of resistance, miko, and release the arrow!**_

"_NO!_" The voice inside her head laughed shrilly as her black-wrapped fingers released the flaming missile. The hanyou held his ground for a split-second longer before twisting sideways and diving backwards. The arrow slammed into the wall next to the first, narrowly missing the windowpane. Rolling up onto his feet, he was about to launch himself at Kagome when she shouted, "_Get_ _out_!" Throwing away her bow, the young woman fell to her hands and knees, her head down and her hair covering her face.

"Kagome?" Sha called, cautiously moving towards her.

Shaking her head, she muttered, "C'mon, darn it… gotta protect… _help_ me…." Her next words became a strangled cry as her body convulsed, haloed in deep violet light.

Sha stayed low, ready to either intervene or dive for cover as he watched the purple glow surge and fade as it seemingly warred with the roseate flames flickering around Kagome's hunched form. _Holy gods…! _There was another shout, accompanied by a burst of clear pink light, before Kagome toppled over onto her side and curled into a ball.

He scrambled towards her, his heart in his throat, until he saw that she was breathing. Smoothing her damp hair away from her face, Sha carefully gathered her into his arms and sat down with his back against the end of the couch. He noticed that while the menacing black tracery on her skin had faded to a silvery grey, it was still plainly visible. When her eyelashes fluttered and she opened her eyes, he was relieved to see that her pupils had returned to normal. "You okay?" he asked, lightly stroking her cheek.

Kagome blinked slowly several times before focussing on his face. "The voice is gone," she said hoarsely, "but I think we have to move fast before she comes back."

"'She'… it's a woman's voice?"

"She's cursed me." Kagome raised her hand to examine the grey tendrils. "These marks take over control of my body."

"Dammit, Naraku might have changed his form again!" Sha had rarely felt so completely and utterly helpless. "What can we do?"

The young woman was silent for a long moment. "I think that I can tell how close she is… just need a good vantage point."

"We'll go up on the roof," Sha immediately decided. "Can you move at all?"

Kagome tried sitting up under her own steam and discovered that her muscles obeyed her. The hanyou stood up with her in his arms and carefully set her on her feet. She wrapped her arms around him, whispering, "I'm _so_ sorry, Sha."

"It wasn't your fault!" he fiercely retorted as he returned the embrace. "Do _not_ blame yourself!" Kagome said nothing, but the emotion of the near-miss was obvious in both her scent and in the way her shoulders slumped even as her arms tightened around him. Growling lightly to cover his own sense of failure, Sha tangled his fingers in her hair and gently pulled back her head to plant a kiss on her lips. "Let's go," he said firmly.

Retrieving her jacket from the foyer, he wrapped her in it before donning his own. Freeing Tetsusaiga from its carrying case, he shoved the sword through his belt, then collected her bow and quiver. Kagome reluctantly accepted them, her worried expression betraying her concern. "There's no _way_ you could've missed me at that close range unless you were fighting off the bitch's control," Sha pointed out. "This is a risk I'm willing to take."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Kagome smiled wanly.

Down the hall in the elevator lobby, their two escorts were plainly appalled that they'd missed the action, since it would've been their asses in the fire if Sha had been killed on their watch. After a hasty conference, they took the elevator up to the roof, much to Kagome's quiet relief. _It's taking everything I have to hold her at bay without glowing._ Glancing sideways at her husband, she unhappily considered the cost of defeat. _I can't let her take me again!_

Sha slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close; while the guardsmen pretended not to notice, he kissed the top of her head. "It'll be okay," he assured as the doors opened and they found themselves in a narrow corridor with a flight of steps at the opposite end, leading up to a reinforced steel door. Once out on the roof, Sha held her even more firmly as they traversed the tar and gravel surface, weaving between the mechanical units and the transmission towers. "All right… can you sense anything?" he asked, scanning the cityscape, his black hair whipping in the night breeze.

Kagome closed her eyes and slowly rotated on the spot, not really sure what she was looking for until she found it. "That way," she said with firm conviction, pointing. "There's something… a mix of _jyaki_ and… spiritual energy?"

Sha squinted in the direction indicated, then shook his head. "Your range is incredible; I can't pick up anything." Looking at the guardsmen, he asked, "How 'bout you?" When both of them gave negative responses, he carefully considered their route before going down on one knee. Kagome pushed his hair out of the way and awkwardly settled into place on his back. "Hang on tight," he warned as he stood up. "We're gonna be doing some serious height and distance, so try not to scream."

"How about fainting?" she asked, linking her hands on his chest.

"Not recommended."

"Bursting randomly into pink flames?"

"_Definitely_ not." Sha squeezed her thighs in a friendly manner. "No barfing, either."

Kagome rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll do my best… but hurry. I don't know how long I can keep her at bay."

"On it." Jerking his head at their escorts, the hanyou took off at a dead run and launched off the edge of the roof.

Soaring across the gap between the buildings, they plummeted about twenty feet before landing hard enough to knock the air out of Kagome's lungs as she collided with Sha's back. _Oh, man… it isn't the barfing __I'm__ worried about… more like the bruising!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sota looked up from his textbook, his eyes wide. "What was that?" he asked in a hushed voice. Buyo was already on her feet, her tail bristling, when a second set of explosions rocked the house.

Transforming on the fly as she darted from the room, the cat-youkai ordered, "Retrieve your sword!" The teen dumped his homework and dove for the built-in cupboard, sending clothes flying as he yanked the weapon out of the bottom drawer and ran after Buyo, who beckoned from the foot of the stairs. "Your lady mother's bedroom window will give us a good vantage point!"

The house shook again as they scrambled through Yayoi's bedroom door; Buyo leapt over the bed and flung open the window, allowing the sounds of battle to pour into the room. Squealing tires, wild yells and lurid curses filled the night, along with an acrid stench that made Sota cough as he squeezed alongside the cat-youkai and peered out. The courtyard floodlights were on to facilitate the return of Mrs. Higurashi and her escort, and they lit up a confusing scene. Dozens of guardsmen surrounded an imported red SUV that was spitting fire from multiple gun ports and wreathed in a haze of oddly-coloured smoke.

"I recognize that vehicle!" Sota coughed as he wiped his streaming eyes on his sleeve. "It's the _yakuza_ who showed up on Friday afternoon!"

"The Band of Seven linked themselves to Naraku by their own admission, so this attack is _definitely_ with intent," Buyo murmured. "I doubt that anything or anyone will get past the dogs, Lord Sota, but if they do…" Wickedly long claws sprouted from her fingertips. The teen nodded agreeably, but his grip on the sword remained white-knuckled. He sneezed a few more times, his vision going blurry, while Buyo scanned the courtyard and tentatively scented the air. Glancing down at Sota, she commented, "That strange smoke isn't affecting me, but it seems to be causing difficulties for you. Let's go up on the roof." She was in the process of stepping out onto the decorative balcony when she abruptly reversed direction and shoved Sota to the floor beneath her.

The building groaned on its foundations as the bedroom was briefly lit up by a massive explosion, quickly followed by shattering glass and shrapnel striking the opposite wall. Several chunks of something heavy landed on the roof above their heads; Sota blindly groped for something to hold onto and found Buyo's hand. The cat-youkai squeezed back, and when it appeared that all debris sent skyward by the explosion had returned to earth, she pulled him to his feet. After she briskly shook herself free of the broken glass, she used her claws to knock several large shards out of the frame before they cautiously looked out. "We scored!" Sota yelped gleefully, pointing at the SUV, which was now flipped onto its roof in the middle of the courtyard, the body of its red-haired driver hanging out the window, and its burst tires slowly spinning as several distinct battles raged around it.

One was over rather quickly, as a markedly squat intruder completely swaddled in full-body veils and carrying a pack full of bamboo tubes was spitted on a spear and then cut in half by a battle-axe. As the pieces of his body hit the pavement, one of the tubes cracked open, and a pool of what looked like mercury ran out and began spreading. On contact with the ground, the liquid immediately turned to a heavy, low-lying vapour that ate away the heavy paving stones and anything else within range. "Roof! _Now!_" Buyo ordered and caught Sota around the waist. "Hold onto your weapon!" Yanking her startled companion through the window, she balanced briefly on the balustrade before leaping up onto the roof tiles, just as one guardsman let out a howl of pain and went down, engulfed in the corrosive mist. He screamed incessantly as his flesh was melted from his bones, finally going mercifully silent as Sota turned green and cringed away from the horrific scene.

"This is what a battle is _really_ like," he mumbled, bile rising into the back of his throat.

"Yes." Buyo keenly watched the progress of the vapour across the courtyard and noted that it was being blown away from the house. "You did well in your first experience against Lord Ryukotsusei; this will also be a challenge." Movement caught her eye, and she stared in disbelief at what appeared to be an enormous sword in the hands of a dark-haired _yakuza,_ whose long braid swung in wild arcs as he easily handled the massive weapon. Slicing the heavy blade through the air, he sent the encircling guardsman skipping backwards out of reach. "A _zanbato_," she sniffed derisively. "Haven't seen one of _those_ since the Warring States era; where _did_ these vermin find their weapons?"

"Luckily Mom is at the clinic with Gramps… although, not so lucky for Grandpa, having those chest pains," the teen added, and then he went pale. "_Shit!_ She'll be coming back any minute… and in the middle of this…!"

Buyo let out a highly unladylike curse. "They went on foot because the clinic is just a couple of blocks away… blast it! Surely _someone_ has called to alert them, if they've somehow missed the explosion?"

"Step away from the boy," rumbled an unfamiliar voice.

The cat-youkai instantly bared her fangs in a threatening hiss as she spun, shielding Sota from this new threat. As the teen bravely drew his sword, they assessed the burly figure straddling the ridgepole, his body throwing off haloing clouds of dust with every movement. "The SUV's explosion must have tossed him up here," Sota muttered, noting the tattered condition of the man's body armour and the way his clothing glistened wetly in the dim light.

"I advise you to withdraw, _vermin_," Buyo snarled and in reply, their opponent made a rude gesture with the gleaming metal blades apparently attached to his hands. "Merely a wanna-be," she huffed when she spotted the heavy leather gloves. "As fake as the stripes on your face."

"Don't discount me so easily," he replied, lazily swiping the air.

"Watch yourself, my lord." At Sota's nod, Buyo silently prowled up the sloping roof, her claws making a menacing metallic clatter as she flexed her fingers. The wounded man backed up several steps and crouched, silently waiting for her attack, but the cat-youkai circled, her pale eyes keen. Sota was ever after convinced that he saw a tail swish under Buyo's robes, but it might have been an illusion as she pounced.

Her opponent was sent staggering with one swipe, as her claws tore through his body armour and left him bleeding heavily from multiple slashes. Recovering his footing, he gamely retaliated with a slash aimed at her throat, but she went for his legs and threw him onto his back, then drove her knee into his wounded abdomen. The cat-youkai snarled angrily when her claws unexpectedly became entangled with his as the battling pair slid down the sloping tiles until their heads hung over the edge of the roof. With his weapons rendered ineffective, the _yakuza_ desperately grappled until he managed to seize Buyo's slender wrists in his hands; he had the audacity to smirk at the apparent stalemate.

The cat-youkai's pale green eyes flamed as her lips curled back from her elongating fangs. "Foolish human," she purred as her face morphed into that of a predator and fear twisted the man's tattooed face. "_Die!_" Sinking her fangs into his flesh, she ripped out his throat and cut off his strangled scream. As blood sprayed and he went limp, Buyo easily hoisted his body and looked over the eaves.

Near the access road at the far end of the property, a giant of a man was being worried by a pack of energetic guardsmen who darted in and slashed him with their weapons every time he was distracted by one of their number_._ As the cat-youkai watched, the huge _yakuza_ tore up a section of the wrought iron fence and used it like a scythe in an attempt to impale his attackers, but they easily evaded and mocked his flailing movements.

Across the courtyard, an effeminate young man in an inappropriately short skirt deployed an unusual snaking sword that had already accounted for the lives of at least half a dozen guardsmen. Dismembered body parts lay in oozing puddles; the second group of dog-youkai facing him was far warier of the weapon's considerable reach. When the swordsman taunted them before unleashing a swing, a few attempted to catch and pin down the vicious blade with their spears while others dashed in to deal a death blow. Grinning wildly, he snapped back the weapon and several more guardsmen came apart in a welter of blood and gore.

Nearer to hand, the intruder wielding the _zanbato_ had his attention divided among the eight guardsmen opposing him, his back against the flipped SUV. Buyo watched with interest as he dashed forward, swinging his ungainly weapon with considerable skill and taking out two of the dog-youkai before the rest closed off his retreat. Planting her feet, Buyo screamed a warning to the guardsmen as she heaved her twitching victim straight at the encircled _yakuza._ As his attackers fell back, the dark-haired man whirled to face the new threat; he raised his sword in an attempt to block the gruesome missile, but he was knocked off his feet by the impact and he went down hard.

The guardsman skipped out of the way of the _zanbato_ as it skated across the bloodied pavement and came to rest at the feet of the heavily-made up _yakuza_. Glancing down at the huge weapon, the swordsman did a double take before looking up in time to witness the messy decapitation of his leader. As the head was kicked away from the body, the thick black braid slithering through the gore, the swordsman stared in obvious shock at the bodies of his compatriots before looking up to where Buyo stood on the roof, casually licking his colleague's blood off her claws.

"_Fuck you straight to hell!_" he screamed, and hitched up his bloodied skirt as he ran towards the house. The whirring blade arched over the roof and attempted to curl around the defiant cat-youkai, but she adroitly avoided certain death by diving under the sword's razor-sharp edge. Propelling herself down the lee side of the sloping roof, she slid to safety next to Sota, who regarded her bloodied appearance with something akin to fascinated horror.

"My apologies, my lord," she said, apparently unruffled, until she looked over his shoulder. "_By all the gods of heaven and hell!_ What are those idiot dogs _doing?_" Sota turned in time to spot Tenmaru in company with a gaggle of guardsmen appear at the top of the stone staircase. The new arrivals barely paused to assess the situation before they charged in with weapons drawn. "They _wouldn't_… have they left your lady mother undefended?"

Sota noticed the enraged _yakuza_ racing around the end of the house in a broad arc as he attempted to locate Buyo's position on the roof, but then he apparently changed his mind and faced off against the newcomers. As he raised his bloodied sword, the teen shouted, "_Look out!_"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Warakashi, this isn't our usual route."

"No, miss."

Several more minutes passed as the young woman in the rear seat of the expensive sedan watched the unfamiliar streetscape roll past between exchanging texts with her classmate. Biting her lip, she ventured, "I have a project due tomorrow morning; I can't really afford to take the scenic route."

"Not much longer, miss," the chauffeur calmly replied.

_This new hire… I just __don't know__. He makes me feel so uncomfortable! I must speak to Mrs. Ueda about him when I get home._ As the sedan came to a stop at a red light, she was plainly shocked when the rear door opened and a stranger slid onto the leather upholstery alongside her. With a panicked yelp, she scooted against the opposite passenger door and tried to open it, only to find it securely locked.

The newcomer adjusted the extravagant white fur collar of his coat and smiled disarmingly at his frightened captive. "Good work, Ren," he said to the driver, who merely nodded as he finished wiping away the concealing makeup and revealed vivid purple facial tattoos.

"Wh-who are you? What do you want?" she fearfully demanded, furtively attempting to speed-dial the emergency services.

The dark-haired intruder seized her wrist in a painful grip and coolly extracted her cell phone before smoothly intoning, "Good evening, Miss Mifune. I am Narakage Hitomi, and I'm _very _pleased to make your acquaintance."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome kept her head down and concentrated on her internal battle against the voice to avoid thinking about the rollercoaster-like sensations of their headlong flight. Sha's muscles bunched and stretched beneath her, and she quickly identified the rhythms of his movement, which allowed her to prepare herself… sort of… for the bone-jarring landings and stomach-churning leaps as they charged across the city's roof tops. At one point, he commented, "Your range really _is_ amazing; I've just now picked up on the _jyaki_."

"Maybe because I'm connected to the source?" she suggested. "If it was as big as that dragon's, you would've sensed it earlier."

"It's really small," he agreed, but then exclaimed, "_Fuck_… I think it's actually a barrier!"

"A what?"

"A mystic shield. It's too small and round to be anything else. _Oi_!" Sha shouted at their escort, and all three skidded to a stop on a convenient roof. The hanyou didn't let Kagome down from her perch on his back; she didn't mind in the least because she wasn't sure her legs would support her.

"What strategy do you propose, my lord?" asked one guardsman.

"Blow away the barrier and the asshole inside it with the Hijinsaiga," Sha retorted.

"That attack would _definitely_ break Lady Kagome's curse," the other commented. "However, we'd be no wiser as to Naraku's involvement."

"_Fuck_."

Kagome peered over Sha's shoulder. "How is the curse linked to the barrier?" she inquired.

He executed a polite bow before answering, "One way to break a curse is to kill the caster; the other is to destroy the caster's _shikigami_."

"The 'caster's familiar'?" the young woman repeated.

"Those of evil intent will use a _shikigami_ to extract blood or hair from their victim rather than risk their own lives in the attempt."

"It did feel like something bit me," she said, reflexively rubbing her wrist, and the guardsman nodded.

"That is undoubtedly how she was able to gain control over you, my lady." Turning to Sha, he said, "If it is possible to open the barrier and kill the _shikigami_, then the caster may be detained for questioning. If Naraku has taken on another form, this is critical."

"Since it's made of _jyaki_, I could try purifying it with an arrow," Kagome tentatively suggested, despite her reluctance to notch a missile anywhere near Sha after the last incident.

"That would probably work, but if you're not at full power due to the hold she has over you, I'll have to ditch you somewhere."

"Wh-why?" she asked, tightening her grip.

"Gotta release my _jyaki_ to power up Tetsusaiga and turn it into Hijinsaiga," he replied. "Don't wanna piss off the Jewel." While Kagome contemplated the potentially disastrous results of that scenario, he told the guards, "As soon as the barrier's down, one of you stays with Kagome and the other kills the _shikigami _while I engage the bitch." Directing his next words over his shoulder, he asked, "Ready?"

"Y-yeah." On impulse, she leaned in and kissed his cheek; he squeezed her thighs as they took off.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Tenmaru and his men scattered just in time to avoid being struck by the snake-like blade as it whizzed past. While they hastily retreated, drawing the shrieking swordsman after them, Buyo grabbed Sota and jumped; landing on the lower roof, they slid down the tiles and off to the ground. "Stay low!" she ordered, hustling him towards the top of the stairs. "Go to your lady mother and make sure someone has called for assistance!"

They had only taken a half-dozen steps when the ground in front of them heaved and cracked, sending paving stones and earth flying. Buyo shoved Sota behind her as a strange, white-cloaked figure erupted from the ground, rising higher and higher until it towered over them. "I'm afraid that escape is not an option," it announced in sepulchral tones.

The cat-youkai wrinkled her nose. "Naraku?" she muttered uneasily, eyeing its height and the strange way that its cloak undulated independently of the chilly breeze.

"Partially," the apparition replied, chuckling unpleasantly.

Buyo narrowed her eyes as she assessed it more carefully. _It has his scent, but it lacks a youkai aura. What __is__ this thing?_ The moment of stillness abruptly ended when the cloak blew upward and a writhing torrent of tentacles rushed out. She screamed a warning to Sota as her claws flashed to their full length, but instead of retreating, he was right beside her with Yura's blade gleaming in his hands. Shoulder to shoulder, they slowly fought their way through the maelstrom of pulsating flesh, sprayed by vile fluids as they hacked themselves free of oily coils that sought to snatch away their weapons or trip them up. They were making good headway when a most unwelcome distraction appeared; a frantic Mrs. Higurashi and a pair of harassed-looking escorts arrived at the top of the staircase.

The apparition let out a triumphant shout and an entire nest of tentacles flew towards the startled woman, but Buyo got there first. Throwing herself directly in harm's way, her claws whirled as she made mincemeat of most of the fleshy weapons… except for one. A sharpened tentacle skewered her through the shoulder; as she slashed her way free, she recognized it for what it was and gasped out, "Target its chest! It's a golem!" before crumpling to the ground.

At that moment, mass confusion broke out.

Yayoi was snatched up by a dark-hued blur and found herself on the roof tiles of her home, tightly clutched in the arms of a silver-haired man who bellowed, "You two! Grab Lady Buyo and get the _fuck _out of there!" Glancing down at the stunned woman, the golden-eyed stranger apologized, "Excuse my language, Mrs. Higurashi," before shouting, "_Dammit_, Tenmaru, _move your ass_! Father's out for blood!"

Staring up at the handsome man, Yayoi considered the fangs revealed as he luridly cursed someone named 'Naraku', the dark blue stripes marking his high cheekbones and the unruly mop of silver hair. _He looks so familiar… and isn't 'Tenmaru' one of Lord Nishiki's sons?_

"_INCOMING!_" her protector roared and then fairly crushed her against his armoured chest as he curled around her. Other bodies joined their desperate huddle as a thundering barrage of sound rolled over them, quickly followed by a shockwave of air that nearly knocked them off the sloping tiles. The entire house shook as _something_ huge landed right beside it with an audible 'crunch' and then a deafening howl split the night. A feathery white curtain swept over them, quickly followed by screaming and a horrible snapping noise. "Don't look, Mrs. Higurashi," the silver-haired man advised when she tried to twist free. "You _don't_ want to see this."

"What's going on?" she asked. "Who _are_ you?"

"The Shrine is under attack by criminal elements, and I'm…um, one of the good guys."

Yayoi thought carefully about the young man holding her and the names he'd mentioned earlier, because that was much safer than considering the unpleasant ripping and rending noises that sounded a little too much like something being torn apart and eaten. "Are you Tenmaru Nishiki's brother?" she finally ventured.

His resigned sigh ruffled her hair. "Tsugane Nishiki at your service, ma'am."

Blinking rapidly as his words sunk in, she slowly said, "Then your father is… Lord Sesshiro Nishiki."

Another sigh. "Yes, ma'am." His grip on her loosened, allowing Yayoi to push away from his chest and look up. He held very still as she lightly touched one of his cheek stripes and intently inspected his bronze-gold eyes. Finally, she shook her head.

"You look so familiar to me… your colouring, I mean… _oh_!" Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but quickly curved into a smile at the sight of his canine ears… just before confusion creased her brow. "You're… not human, are you?"

"No, ma'am," Tsugane replied, noting that her scent was free of fear. "I am youkai."

"Youkai? Really?"

"Hanyou, actually." A thunderous growl broke up their surreal conversation; he wasn't quick enough to stop her from watching his father point his bloodied muzzle at the starry sky and howl out his fury.

"Oh… my…" Yayoi breathed, staring at the enormous white dog, its forehead blazoned with a crescent moon. When it shook itself and abruptly transformed into a tall, slender humanoid creature with long star-spun hair, wearing black and silver armour of a fantastical design, she was again staggered by a sense of recognition. _I've __seen__ that dog before and that man… maybe in one of Genma's scrolls?_

The regal creature looked about itself, then up. In the next moment, it was poised on the edge of the roof, regarding the tangle of youkai and human with icy reserve. Yayoi flinched away from its piercing yellow gaze even as Tsugane pulled her to her feet and steadied her on the uneven tiles. "Mrs. Higurashi, this is my father…"

"L-lord Nishiki," she offered in a very small voice, which he acknowledged with a slight inclination of his head.

She had a moment to inspect the pair of vivid stripes adorning each cheek before Sesshiro sharply demanded, "Where is your son?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

After several long minutes of alternately defying and obeying gravity, Kagome risked a quick look around and identified the Shinjuku district's looming skyscrapers dead ahead. The _jyaki_ continued to burn bright and clear in her mind's eye, and seemed to originate on the top of the massive twin-towered Metropolitan Government building.

"Need some height…." Sha growled, and they veered off course towards a black-panelled office tower that was slightly taller than their target. Kagome hid her face in Sha's shoulder and prayed to every god and goddess that might be listening for protection as they to all intents and purposes _ran_ up the side of the building, using the distinctive black criss-crossing exterior girders for traction. She held her breath until they landed safely on the roof of the building; Sha carefully lowered her until she could stand while the wind remorselessly buffeted them. When she stopped hyperventilating, she noticed that the guardsmen were trying to block its force with their bodies. Letting go of her husband's shoulders, she was swept against his chest and held there, facing towards the government building and the now easily-visible ball of _jyaki _glowing darkly on one of the two towers. "Can you hit it from here?" he shouted in her ear.

"The wind's too strong!" she yelled back. "And it's outside of my range!"

"Sir! If we can gain the top of the second tower without being detected, we can easily launch an attack!"

"I think we're expected, unless the bitch is incredibly fucking stupid," Sha dryly observed as he carefully studied the structure of the second tower. "It's climbable," he finally decided. "We'll have more than enough momentum; let's go." Kagome hastily clambered onto his back and was barely settled before the three youkai loped across the roof and dropped over the lip.

The young woman bit back a panicked scream as they plummeted towards the distant ground, but somehow, Sha used the façade's decorative elements to slow their descent until they were in a controlled high-speed slalom down the criss-crossing girders. When they were about thirty feet off the ground, Sha pushed off from the building's side and launched them out into space. Kagome was sure that her heart stopped until they landed nearly half-way across the spacious plaza surrounding the tower's base before rocketing back up into the air to slide across the roof of a building across the street.

They seemed to be literally flying, because the trajectories of Sha's jumps were flatter and the landings less teeth-rattling. However, he still managed to scare Kagome half to death with a couple of mid-air somersaults to regain control of their direction and speed. "This is it!" he bellowed, as they began their final approach to the Metropolitan building by racing across the flat roof of the much shorter Assembly building right in front of it. She clung tighter to his shoulders and hips, closing her eyes and counting the seconds as they left the comparatively solid surface of the roof and scaled the towering edifice by using the concrete window frames like the rungs of a ladder.

They paused briefly two-thirds of the way up, on the roof of the 'bridge' between the two towers; Sha casually commented that this section would be easier due to the architectural details, and then they were airborne. Another minute or so later, they were on top of the second tower and taking their first good look at the barrier.

It was deep purple, almost black, and its surface ebbed and swirled like thick mist. Even from their position a couple of hundred feet away, the dark energy emanating from it was palpable at that distance, and Kagome broke out in a cold sweat. _So much __jyaki__!_ Glancing at her hands, she noticed with a rising sense of panic that the markings had darkened. "Put me down, Sha!" she urgently demanded, and as soon as he complied, she attached herself to a handy antenna anchor and repeated the do-it-yourself purification method she'd employed earlier in the evening. When the curse marks faded, she pressed her forehead against the cold metal and willed herself not to collapse. _I can't take much more of this._

"Kagome?" Sha's arms wrapped around her, and she quickly turned to burrow into his chest, taking strength from his solid reality. His hand came up to cradle the back of her head, his invisible claws lightly scratching her scalp as he held her close. "Can you hang in there a little longer?"

"Y-yes," she bravely replied, but she couldn't quite hide the quaver of exhaustion in her tone.

"Thanks," he murmured. Catching the guardsmen's eyes, which was somewhat tricky because they were busy looking everywhere but at them, he pointed at one and ordered, "_You _stay here with my wife." To the other, he said, "You're with me. If Kagome can't open the barrier, I'll use Hijinsaiga; in either case, be ready to _move_."

Shielding her from the howling wind, Sha stepped back a pace as she extracted her bow and an arrow from her quiver. Taking a deep breath and exhaling gustily, Kagome rolled her shoulders as she studied her target. _Can't really miss, so long as I adjust for the wind._ "Does it matter where I strike it?"

"Nope. Your spiritual energy should blow it wide open no matter the contact point."

"All right… here goes…." Kagome notched the missile and drew back her bowstring. Concentrating until the arrow burst into brilliant pink flames, she aimed at the centre of the dome, then swung the tip to the left. _The wind is __really__ strong and gusting erratically… just like when I was bitten, so this __has__ to be the source!_ Straining to give the arrow maximum velocity, she let it fly. The sizzling missile was caught by the wind and swept sideways, but it had enough power to make the connection, and the dark energy spectacularly exploded as Kagome's spiritual power connected.

"Gonna be hard to miss _that_," one of the guardsmen commented offhandedly, "Since the Shinjuku Park Hotel is just over there." He hooked his thumb in the direction of a triple-towered skyscraper several blocks away, its glass-enclosed observation decks glittering with light. "We'd better wrap this up before the humans arrive."

"Then shut up and _move_!" Sha roared as he launched himself across the open space between the towers.

"_Banzai_!" his escort brashly yelled as he threw himself after the hanyou.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Tenmaru kicked off his shoes and joined Tsugane and Mrs. Higurashi in the hallway as the medical team attempted to treat Buyo's wound in the _tatami_ room. The unconscious cat-youkai had been laid out on a futon at Yayoi's insistence, despite dire warnings of the mess that would result. Other injured guardsmen waited their turn in the kitchen; the lady of the house calmly dealt with the mix of human and inhuman appearances without any outward signs of concern.

Turning to the currently mismatched brothers, one spell-concealed and one not, Yayoi softly asked, "Will she be all right?"

Tsugane bit his lip. "It's very close to her heart, and something is preventing the wound from healing as quickly as it should."

Yayoi contemplated that for a moment before even more quietly asking, "You called her 'Lady Buyo' outside… she can't possibly be…?"

The brothers exchanged quick glances. "She is, ma'am. Your family cat is actually a cat-_youkai_," Tenmaru confirmed.

"She saved my life."

"Yes. She's protected your family for… well, a _really_ long time."

"I remember… our old tortoiseshell cat had simply disappeared one day. We couldn't find her _anywhere_, no matter how hard we looked… we called and called…. After a week or so, Kagome and Sota brought home this tiny scrap of fur they'd found mewing halfway up the shrine's staircase," Yayoi murmured, her gaze very far away. "She was just a little bit of a thing… but she moved right in like she owned the place."

"Lord Tsugane? A word." One of the medics beckoned, and the hanyou complied, just as Sesshiro arrived.

"These criminals called themselves the 'Band of Seven', correct?" the taiyoukai demanded without preamble.

"Yes, Father," Tenmaru replied.

"The body count is incomplete; two are missing."

"One must have taken my son," Yayoi murmured, hugging herself in the first show of nerves Tenmaru had seen since the end of the battle.

"And one took Mo… er, Miss Mifune," Tsugane hastily amended as he rejoined them and tried not to cringe at his father's sub-sonic displeasure. In response to Yayoi's concerned expression, he said, "I'm afraid that Lady Buyo is in a bad way; the wound is contaminated with _shouki_ and is slowly eating its way towards her heart."

"Is there _nothing_ we can do?" the woman asked, plainly distressed.

"_Shouki_ is a form of _jyaki_," Sesshiro pointed out.

Tsugane immediately brightened and he exclaimed, "Then she has a chance!" Digging his cell phone out of his breastplate, he punched in Sha's number. Impatiently tapping his foot as the connection was completed but no one answered, he growled, "_Where_ the hell is Uncle?" to no one in particular.

Tenmaru's phone rang and he frowned at the message. "How about the Shinjuku district?"

"What? You're kidding, right?"

The younger hanyou looked up, his expression strained. "A rather spectacular out-of-season fireworks display above the Metropolitan Government Building has just been reported."

"Oh, _shit_."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

At the base of the largest antenna on the first tower, a roof vent had been turned into a makeshift altar, complete with silken cloths and porcelain dishes. A cold-eyed woman of surpassing beauty stood behind the altar, her long black hair lashing in the wind of the barrier's destruction. Apparently unperturbed at their arrival, she raised a languid hand to brush debris from her clothing. "Narakage Hitomi did not lie; you are indeed a formidable opponent," she observed, her clear voice easily carrying across the gap between the towers.

As she and her escort huddled against an air-conditioning unit atop the second tower, Kagome exclaimed, "That's her… the voice inside my head!"

Flicking a glance in the direction of Kagome's voice, the woman said, "I am Tsubaki Shirohebi." As she finished speaking, what appeared to be a large albino snake rose into view from behind her shoulder, opening and shutting its jaws as it scented the air.

Doing his best to shelter Kagome from the wind, the guardsman observed, "That snake must be the _shikigami_ that attacked you, my lady. If it can be destroyed, then the curse will be lifted."

"Easier said than done," she muttered, glancing at the markings on her hands. "I want to know _how_ she cursed me."

Sha had prowled close to the altar and the woman behind it, sniffing the air as he assessed his opponent. "You're _not_ Naraku," he growled in disappointment. "You're human, but you stink of youkai."

"How _rude_, Mr. Nishiki. I shan't make a comment about how _you_ reek of dog," Tsubaki retorted.

"Why did you force Kagome into shooting me with an arrow?" the hanyou demanded in an ominous tone.

Tsubaki flipped her hand. "An amusing interlude suggested by Mr. Hitomi, nothing more."

"Why are you working for him?"

"I work for _myself_; Mr. Hitomi supplied me with the means to cast my curse and made a few entertaining suggestions," she dismissively replied.

"How _generous_ of him," Sha sneered. "What's his price?"

"The deaths of you and your lovely bride in exchange for the Jewel."

"Fuck _you_, bitch," Sha snarled with considerable feeling. "If you're Naraku's ally, then you're fucking _dead_."

As he drew Tetsusaiga, Tsubaki gave a brittle laugh. "Fool! I hold your woman's life in my hands! Put away your sword, or she will suffer!" With an unpleasant smile, she gracefully gestured; the white _shikigami _slithered down her arm and hovered over a porcelain cup in the centre of the altar. A large glistening drop of red-tinged liquid fell from one of its fangs and landed on neatly coiled black threads.

On the other tower, Kagome shrieked and collapsed, the grey curse marks turning gleaming black as they wound malevolently around her throat. "Mr. Hitomi gave me a sample of the Shikon miko's hair," Tsubaki commented, her brilliant blue eyes keen as she watched the young woman struggle to breathe. "It has most excellent properties for spell-casting."

"_Damn you straight to hell_!" the hanyou roared, slamming his sword back into its sheath.

"You can ease her pain, Sha Nishiki, by giving up your life," Tsubaki suggested, her malicious smile ruining her pretty mouth. The skin around her right eye puckered just before pale vapour poured out and resolved itself into a vicious-looking youkai, armed with impressive fangs and wickedly long talons.

"You made a deal with trash youkai like _this_?" Sha spat.

"I value youth and beauty," she replied tartly. "When I have the Jewel, I shall be immortal."

"You're fucking _pathetic_."

"Become my youkai's meal, Sha Nishiki," Tsubaki smirked as Kagome cried out once more before going completely still. The hanyou's attention snapped back to his own peril when the creature pounced, tearing up the concrete with its huge claws. Sha dodged, cursing, as the youkai proved surprisingly agile as it pursued him across the roof, sending debris flying each time it missed.

Unnoticed in the uproar, the guardsman who had accompanied Sha crouched behind an mechanical unit. A baton dropped out of his sleeve, and when he tapped it against his leg, it extended into a long spear with a wicked-looking crescent-shaped head. Waiting until a cloud of pulverized cement obscured his approach, he charged towards Tsubaki at a dead run. The woman was so intent on her creature's pursuit of Sha that she didn't notice him until he was in striking distance. As he leapt into the air, his spear pointed at her heart, a small shield barrier blossomed around her… and then the _shikigami_ attacked.

He didn't have time to scream as the white serpent seized him by the throat and bit down hard. A moment after that, long talons drove through his body; as the _shikigami_ let go and returned to its mistress' arms, he was beheaded with one snap of the youkai's massive jaws. Blood spurted into the air, fat drops pattering onto the roof like rain as the rest of his body disappeared down the creature's gullet in two crunching bites.

"_Shit_," breathed the remaining guardsman from his vantage point on the second tower, as Tsubaki's creature again sprang after Sha. Checking to make sure that Kagome was still breathing, he muttered, "We just need to hang on until reinforcements arrive; the light show earlier can't have gone unnoticed." The young woman's skin was icy cold, her blank eyes wide and staring, black tendrils curling across her face like fanciful youkai markings.

A huge explosion rocked their rooftop as an electrical transformer on the other tower blew up, sending a geyser of sparks arcing into the night sky and blacking out the top half of the building. The guardsman crouched to shield Kagome from any fallout, then heard Sha shout something that might have been a call for assistance. Dazzled by the light from the explosion and momentarily deafened by the 'boom', the guardsman gamely prepared to literally leap into the fray.

He was in mid-flight when the arrow hit.

Sha heard the guardsman's faint cry and risked a quick look as he leapt out of the way of another attack, then stared in stupefaction as the man dropped like a stone with an arrow protruding from the back of his neck. His body spun down the side of the tower to land with a dull 'thud' fifteen storeys below on the roof of the connecting bridge. Tsubaki's creature let out an excited cry and looked like it might dive after another snack; in that brief respite, Sha distinctly saw Kagome's wide, dilated eyes as she let her arm drop. _Fuck this… I have to end it now!_ Cracking his knuckles, he took a running leap at Tsubaki, who was avidly watching Kagome with a cruel smirk on her lips.

"_Sankon Tessou!_"

He was in mid-air, his claws reaching for the _shikigami_, when the youkai's paw batted him across the roof. Skidding wildly, he frantically tried to slow his headlong tumble, but only managed to break a couple of fingers and possibly dislocate his shoulder. As he went over the edge, he made a desperate grab for the parapet and barely hung on by the claw-tips of his uninjured hand as he first swung out over space and then slammed into the side of the building. "_GoddamNaraku-fuckingbitch!_" Heaving himself back onto the roof through sheer force of will and in defiance of his pain, Sha was just in time to see Kagome lurch drunkenly forward. _She can move! She's broken the curse! _His exultation died on his lips when he realized that her stilted gait and awkward movements indicated something quite different than the curse's defeat. _Shit! She's being forced over the edge!_

Screaming her name, he tried to run, only to discover that his knee had been blown. Tsubaki's creature blocked his line of sight, its jaws opening wide; without a second thought, he tore right through it, sending gobbets of raw flesh flying. However, he could only watch in sick horror as the young woman stepped over the low parapet on the far side of the second tower and vanished.

"Not exactly what I had in mind, but it will be child's play to pluck the Jewel from her broken, bleeding body," Tsubaki blandly commented. "Mr. Hitomi suggested that I strangle her in front of you for maximum effect, but… oh, _dear_. What are you _doing_, Sha Nishiki?"

A guttural roar was her answer.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: **_Zanbato – _Although Bankotsu's weapon is translated as a 'pole-arm' or 'halberd' in the anime/manga, the definition doesn't really fit. It more closely resembles a _zanbato_, an enormous medieval Japanese sword allegedly capable of cutting a horse and rider in half. Examples of these blades, some reaching ten feet and more in length, exist in museums but there is some doubt that they were ever actually used in battle due to the enormous strength required to wield them.

The two skyscrapers featured in the Tsubaki battle are the Shinjuku Mitsui Building (55 storeys high) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (48 storeys high), which happen to be within (youkai) spitting distance of each other in the Shinjuku district. Until 1963, no buildings in Tokyo could be taller than 17 storeys, allegedly the height of the Imperial Palace's central keep.


	12. Outflanked

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** The bunnies were completely fried after that last chapter, and went on strike. Through threats and bribery (well, okay… mostly bribery in the form of Cuban cigars and jugs of Long Island Iced Tea) they grudgingly agreed to go back to work.

**Bouquets** to my CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose, who fight off brain-melting heat, attacks of yellow goop and bouts of laryngitis to whip the bunnies into shape!

**Warnings:** Extreme violence, coarse language, character death and angst.

**The Price**

**Chapter Twelve: Outflanked**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Tsubaki stared in fascination at Sha as scarlet energy boiled around him, causing his long black hair to rise as if caught in a vortex. The dark colouring of the whipping strands abruptly vanished, replaced by brilliant silver at the same moment as deep burgundy streaks lanced through his red _youki_. _His concealment spell is gone… what powerful __jyaki!__ Narakage didn't mention this, the bastard! _She was completely taken aback when another animalistic growl rent the air and her opponent's head snapped up, revealing flaming red eyes, the pupils reduced to brilliant blue pinpricks. _Will my powers be enough to kill him? Dammit, I've been set up!_

The youkai didn't waste words; cracking his knuckles, he leapt for her, his claws murderously crooked. Tsubaki threw up a barrier with just enough spiritual energy to discourage his attack, but not endanger her own demonic powers. Sha somersaulted over the cracking energy, thereby avoidinga partial purification. Agilely landing in a crouch, he prowled just beyond the barrier's boundary. Tsubaki followed his movements, noting the jagged facial markings and elongated fangs. _I can't make the barrier any larger without the boost provided by the youkai he killed! _ Ceasing his stalking, Sha stared intently at the screening energy as if he could see right through it. Tsubaki pressed her hand to her heart, feeling rather faint at the killing fury contained within his reddened glare. When he drew his sword and it erupted into a massive, white-wrapped blade, she grimly realized that Narakage had neglected to inform her of several pertinent details. _Damn the bastard straight into the seventh hell… even if it's my own fault for not asking the son of a bitch enough questions._ Her scalp prickled as the _jyaki_ wreathing Sha's body increased in intensity, and when his weapon turned the colour of freshly-spilled blood she knew she was in deep trouble.

Sha slowly paced backward until he was roughly fifteen feet away, his savage eyes never leaving the barrier. _Kagome_… _I promise that I won't let myself completely lose control over this witch; Naraku will pay for your life with his own._ Raising the huge sword over his head, he thundered an attack name as he slammed the blade downward.

"_Hijinsaiga!_"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_I'm really going to die._ Kagome gazed upwards at the night sky as her body hurtled towards the plaza far below, the building's window frames whipping past in a blur. _In a matter of seconds_. Deafened by the roaring fear inside her head, tears stripped from her cheeks by the rush of air, she was unnervingly clear-headed. _I'm sorry… Mom, Gramps, Sota… _"Goodbye, Sha," she rasped into the slipstream, choking on the lump in her throat. _If only…._

Something caught her shoulder with a deceptively delicate tap, sending her spinning through space so fast that it felt like the air was being sucked from her lungs. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, but it wasn't enough to stop the horrible sensation that her stomach contents were trying to force their way back up her throat to join the escaping oxygen. _Did I hit the building? Shouldn't I be dead? _ She'd barely formulated that thought when she was struck again, this time on the hip and sent careening in a different direction. _Am I still falling… or rising?_ She glimpsed the darkened sky above, more of an impression than an actual view because her brain was threatening to shut down her senses. As she spun upwards, on the verge of blacking out, her body gradually slowed both its frenetic rotation and its ascent. _Oh…only a reprieve. _

In that moment in time, where she was briefly weightless, before gravity's shackles were completely refastened, she was snatched against an armoured body, her head cradled in a long-fingered hand. _Wh-wha…?_

The person clutching her in a death grip was shouting at someone else as they once again plummeted earthward; Kagome could feel the vibrations of his voice quite easily, since her face was pressed against his throat. _Maybe… maybe I'm saved?_ The grip on her head saved her from a possible neck injury when her rescuer violently changed their trajectory, quickly followed by what felt like a mid-air somersault, and then leaves and branches snapped and tore at them, ripping her jeans and filling her nose with the scent of fresh sap. This experience was repeated several times with tiny respites in between until they burst out of the foliage for the final time and hit the ground running. When they finally came to a stop, Kagome found herself half-dumped on the pavement as her saviour collapsed onto his knees, gasping harshly into her hair. Over his shoulder, she noticed an entire row of tall landscape trees gracing the building's entrance façade on the other side of the vast plaza, their carefully-pruned silhouettes now utterly ruined as if an errant typhoon-strength wind had torn through them. _That's__ how he cushioned our landing!_

When her rescuer showed no signs of releasing her, Kagome forced her arm to work and weakly tugged on his sleeve. _It'd be nice if everything would stop spinning…! _ The iron grip immediately loosened, and she found herself looking up at a delicately handsome face, rosy-flushed pale skin ornamented by a blue crescent moon, topped by a spiky thatch of silver hair. "T-tenmaru?" she croaked, blinking rapidly in an attempt to steady her vision.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack, Aunt," the hanyou hoarsely replied between gulps of air. "That was _far_ too close." He eased her onto the polished concrete of the plaza and sprawled beside her on his stomach; when she rolled onto her side, Kagome noticed two long, skinny streamers of hair curling from the nape of his neck down his back, not to mention bloodied splinters of wood poking out of his shoulders and twigs out of his tail. A scabbard and what appeared to be a baton protruded on awkward angles from his waist. Her eyes wandered lower, and she was astonished to see that Tenmaru had canine paws, the pads as pink as the insides of Sha's ears and the fur framing the pebbled skin the same shade of silver as his tail. She was about to say something when five gouts of red flame spurted across the night sky like the claws of an enormous beast, originating on the blacked-out tower of the Metropolitan Government Building.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

As the red flames tore towards her, a cloud of vapour poured out of Tsubaki's eye and coalesced into a mass of minor youkai just before the leading edge of Sha's attack ripped into the barrier. Flinging herself out of the way, leaving her creatures to take the brunt and buy her time, the dark priestess fled between the mechanical units. _He's destroyed the altar, but that doesn't matter; his woman is dead. All I need to do is escape, and the Jewel is mine! _The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up, and she put her back to a vent.

"Run all you want, bitch… the end will be the same," snarled a terrifyingly feral voice. "I'm gonna take you apart nice and slow." Red and blue eyes glowed in the darkness. "It's payback time."

As he slunk forward, Tsubaki gave a brittle smile. "Don't count me out just yet, Sha Nishiki." Vapour again issued and took on the form of a multi-legged, crustacean-like youkai. Snapping its massive pincers open and shut, the creature took up a stance in front of its mistress as she raised another barrier.

Sha smirked unpleasantly and flourished his weapon, the great blade burning red. "Don't waste my time, bitch… _Hijinsaiga_!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Sha's still fighting," Kagome said as the second blast of red energy faded into the stars. "He probably thinks I'm dead."

"A not unreasonable deduction," Tenmaru wryly commented as he rolled onto his back, wincing when the broken wood was driven a little deeper into his flesh. Shoving himself up to sitting, he removed the offending vegetation while assessing Kagome with a critical eye as she also sat upright. For her part, she inspected his gleaming black armour worn over _hakama_ and kimono, accented by a long, graphic red _obi _and the elaborate hilt of the short sword. She was interrupted in her examination when he reached for her, brushing the backs of his claws over her cheek. "What are these markings, Aunt?" he asked.

"Curse marks," she replied, self-consciously rubbing at her skin even though she noted that the twisting black lines on her hands had faded in intensity. "Naraku gave Tsubaki… the woman Sha is fighting… some of my hair, and after her _shikigami_ bit me earlier today, she's been able to control my body." Giving Tenmaru a stricken look, she added, "She made me kill one of our escorts."

Tenmaru sympathetically squeezed her hand. "What must we do?"

"I can purify myself, sort of, but we have to kill either the _shikigami_ or Tsubaki to completely lift the curse."

Tilting back his head, the hanyou gazed up at the towering building. "Then we had best enter the fray as quickly as possible," he said, letting go of her and organizing himself for the ascent. Footsteps thudded; a moment later, two guardsmen hovered, one of them holding her bow.

Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the Jewel. _I need your help to protect Sha. He's probably completely freaking out up there… I almost feel sorry for that Tsubaki woman. __Almost__._ She was quickly enveloped in warm pink light and as soon as she opened her eyes, she was delighted to discover that the markings had completely retreated from her hands. "Tenmaru! Have the curse marks disappeared from my face?"

He paused in the act of untying his colourful _obi_ to scrutinize her countenance. "Yes, they have." Glancing up as another fan-shaped explosion of red energy streaked across the sky, he held out his hand and said, "It is time to rejoin Uncle."

Kagome allowed him to pull her upright; when she swayed dangerously, Tenmaru braced her against his chest. "Nice, um, armour," she commented, tapping the lacquered metal breastplate.

"It serves a purpose," he briskly replied. "In order to accomplish this manoeuvre, you must ride on my back."

Slumping a little, she answered, "Sure…" not quite able to conceal her lack of enthusiasm for the idea.

Tenmaru chose to overlook her reluctance, but he gently added, "The only way to calm Uncle is for you to be present… alive and unharmed."

"All right," Kagome agreed and obediently moved around behind him. Hooking her hands over his shoulders, she prepared to hitch herself into place when he crouched. With some assistance from the guardsmen, Tenmaru efficiently formed a sling seat out of his _obi_ that locked Kagome into place against his back.

"My lord, wouldn't it be wiser for myself or Hiro to carry the lady?" one of the guardsmen finally spoke up as he slid Kagome's bow into her quiver.

"I am less likely to be eviscerated by Uncle if he is in feral mode."

"Er, yes, sir,"

'_Feral mode'?_ Instead of asking, for fear of the answer, Kagome muttered, "I feel like a baby."

"I require the full use of both my arms and my legs," he calmly replied, shoving his short sword and the baton through the plain waist wrap formerly concealed by the vivid _obi_. Catching hold of her elbows, he brought her arms around his ribs and then folded her fingers over the edge of his breastplate. "Hold on here, because I must have maximum reach," he advised. Rolling his shoulders, he bounced on the pads of his paws while testing his balance. Satisfied, he murmured, "Let us proceed."

The trio of youkai loped across the plaza, picking up speed until they left the ground in a gathering rush. Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on being a limpet as Tenmaru scaled the tower, powering their way upward without benefit of momentum, using only his considerable physical strength. After a very long minute, they caught their breath on the 'bridge' section; tactfully, none of them commented on the body of their colleague lying sprawled several dozen feet away, his blood trickling into the gutter, because of Kagome's obvious distress at the sight. Half a minute after that, they crested the parapet of the second tower.

They'd barely landed when Tenmaru released the knot and swung Kagome off his back. The length of red silk fluttering around their ankles, he set her on her feet at the same time as he pulled the baton free and rapped it against the roof. As it extended into an extra-long spear tipped by a sword blade, he carefully observed the roiling _jyaki _on the top of the other tower. "It would be most unwise to distract Uncle, as that would give his opponent an opening," he decided, watching Sha slash at what appeared to be a giant lobster. A huge claw came away, spinning and bouncing down the side of the tower, sending shards of glass, concrete and exoskeleton showering onto the plaza below.

"Gonna be quite a clean-up operation," dryly observed one of the guardsmen.

"Yes; Father will have to pull every string he possesses to keep this one out of the press."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Mr. Higurashi?"

"Yeah?"

"Wh-what do you think they're planning to do with us?" the young woman whispered, her words echoing in the concrete-walled cell.

The teenager considered the raw skin on his wrists before replying, "I don't know why _you're_ here, but I'm a hostage."

"Hostage?"

"My sister has something that Narakage Hitomi wants; he grabbed me to make her give it to him," Sota answered. "What's your connection, Miss Mifune?"

The pretty, dark-haired girl mumbled, "I really have no idea… I mean, I have money, but I somehow don't think that's what he wants."

"Did he say anything when you were abducted?"

"N-no… just that he was 'pleased to make my acquaintance', and he kept… _smiling_ at me in a really _creepy_ way."

At the young woman's frightened tone, Sota stopped probing what he suspected was a loose tooth, courtesy of the crazed _yakuza_'s sword hilt. Managing a crooked smile despite his aching jaw, he said, "Don't worry, Miss Mifune. Once my brother-in-law gets here, things'll be fine."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Tsubaki flattened herself against a transformer box, watching Sha disassemble her most powerful youkai joint by joint. _My barriers are useless against his sword… I have to get out of here and find the Jewel before someone else grabs it! Damn Narakage anyways; this is probably exactly what he hoped would happen!_ A large, eel-like youkai burst out of her eye in response to her desperate summons. "Take us away from here!" she implored and the creature wrapped its coils around her. As it rose into the air, the white _shikigami_ hissed softly and tucked its head under her chin. "There, there, my pet. We will survive this… somehow," she whispered consolingly. There was a wild shout from the furious hanyou being left behind, quickly followed by another spectacular explosion as a swing of his sword devastated what was left of the crustacean youkai and took out another transformer, sending a shower of sparks and body parts into the sky.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Ho! The witch is trying to escape!"

"She's coming this way!"

As the scaly youkai undulated through the night towards them, Kagome reached for her bow. "What are you _doing_, Aunt?" Tenmaru demanded, attempting to shield her from the oncoming threat.

"I'm the only one out of the four of us with a distance weapon." Dropping to one knee to increase the angle, she notched an arrow. _I can't get a clear shot at her, thanks to that eel-thing, so I'll just have to bring down both of them!_ Tenmaru took a long step back and the startled guardsmen threw themselves flat as Kagome's entire body flared brilliant pink. Gritting her teeth, she aimed at the creature's head. _I'll hit somewhere on its underbelly, unless she unleashes some of that freaky wind again! _Both Tsubaki and her youkai looked down to identify the source of so much spiritual energy, and that moment of distraction sealed their fates.

"_Look out!_" As the creature dropped out of the sky, its head vaporized by Kagome's arrow, Tenmaru grabbed the young woman and dove for cover, barely escaping the mass of writhing coils as it demolished a wide swathe of the roof's superstructures.

Over the din of cracking wood, screeching steel and exploding electricals, Tsubaki shouted, "How can you even be _alive, _woman?"

"It appears that news of your death was highly exaggerated," Tenmaru muttered into Kagome's ear, and she mustered a weak giggle. "Unfortunately, your opponent survived."

"Then the curse is still active," she whispered, nervously glancing at her hands.

Tenmaru grunted in agreement as he rolled both of them out of the way of a massive, twitching tail tip that thrashed several more times before going limp. "Our turn," he growled, rising to his feet. Offering Kagome his hand, he cautioned, "Uncle may be unrecognizable when you see him; please do not be afraid."

"Is 'feral mode' when his eyes change colour?" When Tenmaru nodded, she bravely replied, "I've seen him like that before, when he fought the dragon-youkai," but inside she was much less certain. _Can I control the Jewel if it sees Sha as a threat? _

Waving the guardsmen towards Kagome, Tenmaru sniffed deeply before stalking his target. Bent double, his paws making no sound on the scattered debris, he used the deceased youkai's body for cover until he was directly opposite the dark priestess. Leaping over the spasming flesh, the hanyou took Tsubaki completely by surprise. His spear described a slashing arc and the _shikigami_ fell in two squirming pieces at Tsubaki's feet… just as a transformed Sha arrived on the edge of the roof.

_She's alive! Kagome's __alive__! Fucking brat saved the fucking day! _ The fanged hanyou grinned triumphantly, the burgundy streaks of _jyaki_ slowly fading into the burning mass of his _youki_ as the rage in his heart calmed. _Why does she smell like tree sap?_

"You are _annoyances_!" the dark priestess spat as Tenmaru retreated, vapour pouring from her eye and turning into a jabbering horde of reptilian and insectoid youkai that vigorously engaged both hanyou. Sha's bestial roaring as he hacked his way through the mass unnerved Tenmaru; as he glanced towards his blazing-eyed uncle, Tsubaki called, "Rip out her throat, my pet, and then bring me the Jewel!"

_What the…? The __shikigami__? Dammit!_ Wheeling around, Tenmaru jumped up onto the hillock of dead youkai and raced along its scaly hide, desperately tracking the rapidly-regenerating white serpent as it slithered at incredible speed towards Kagome. The young woman was trying to draw a bead on the creature, but it was moving too fast for either her or the guardsmen to pin down.

"Darn it! Hold _still_!" Kagome shouted in frustration. The _shikigami_ dodged a guardsman's sword and flew at her, its jaws opened wide and revealing wickedly long fangs already beading with poison. _How__ do I defeat this thing? It's moving too fast for even a dog-youkai to hit!_ Out of sheer desperation, as the _shikigami_ closed the range with terrifying speed, Kagome threw down her arrow. _This had better work!_ Her bow suddenly blazing with spiritual power, she unleashed a mighty swing aimed at the _shikigami_'s head. _Please hit!_ Connecting with a resounding 'thwack', the blow sent the stunned _shikigami_ rifling back towards Tsubaki like a spectral line drive.

The dark priestess had darted around the oozing end of her former conveyance, intending to avoid Sha, intercept her _shikigami_ and its prize, then make her escape. Her final parasitic youkai was already issuing from her eye and taking the shape of a giant insect, its towering wings glittering against the night sky. The vapour had barely cleared when the _shikigami_ slammed into her face, sending her staggering backwards. _My own curse…? She deflected it?_ "_Nooo!_" Tsubaki screamed, scrabbling futilely for a grip on writhing flesh as the white snake bored into her eye socket, sending black streaks of venom burning across her pale skin.

At the same time, Kagome had the oddest sensation in her chest and realized that she was free. _I can __breathe__ again!_

"_Kaze-no-Kizu!_" Sha let go Tetsusaiga's signature attack at nearly point-blank range, but the great sword refused to cooperate. Instead, it shrank back to its usual shabby guise, ribbons of _youki_ unwinding from the blade. "What the _fuck_?" he snarled, transferring his fiery glare from the sword to his intended victim and back again, until an unpleasant smirk displayed even more of his elongated fangs. "I get it… without your youkai hitch-hikers, you're merely human."

The insect clicked its mandibles as it skittered away from its erstwhile host and the furious hanyou, but before it could take flight, the guardsmen threw themselves on it with claws and weapons until it was reduced to a twitching pile of body parts. The filmy wings caught the wind from Sha's billowing_ youki_ and twirled out into space, spiralling downwards like oversized maple seeds towards the distant ground.

Tenmaru slipped his hand under Kagome's elbow, and the pair cautiously approached Sha. He was standing over Tsubaki's huddled form, flexing his claws and growling ferociously, clearly at war with himself over dealing the final blow. The dark priestess was on her knees, rocking back and forth with her head in her hands and sobbing brokenly. Kagome had a moment of consternation when she realized that Tsubaki's long black hair had turned dirty white. Puzzled at the dramatic change, she nudged Tenmaru and mouthed a question; the dog-youkai shrugged helplessly.

Sha's head turned towards them at that moment. His reddened gaze settled on Kagome, and icy blue gave way to softened amber. "Thank the gods," he murmured, his voice roughened, but not entirely due to his elevated _youki_.

"What are you waiting for, Sha Nishiki? Finish me off!" demanded a high-pitched, querulous voice that certainly didn't resemble Tsubaki's haughty tones.

Sha relaxed his menacing stance. "After all the shit you've pulled, you want a _quick_ death?" he sneered. "_Fuck you_, witch. Leaving you like this is gonna hurt way more." Stepping back, he sheathed Tetsusaiga with a 'click' and stepped back, giving the watchers their first clear look at Tsubaki.

She was unrecognizable. The intense blue eyes had turned pale and rheumy, the fine porcelain skin now heavily wrinkled and blotched with age. The arrogant beauty who had challenged them barely fifteen minutes earlier was now a feeble, elderly crone, baring yellowed teeth as she squinted after the hanyou.

"What should we do about her?" Kagome quietly asked Tenmaru.

"Leave her," Sha's rough-edged voice rasped. "She's nothing to us now." Scarlet eyes flickered. "Her curse's power is broken, and she's been appropriately punished." Stalking away without a backwards glance, he gestured for them to follow.

"Damn you straight to hell, Sha Nishiki!" the hag screeched.

"You first," the hanyou icily retorted.

Tsubaki shrieked a few more choice epithets before going silent. As Tenmaru led her away, Kagome looked over her shoulder in time to see the white-haired woman teetering on the parapet before taking the fatal plunge. "_No!_" she yelped and tried to run on pure reflex, but Tenmaru's grip on her arm turned bruising.

"Leave it, Aunt," he said urgently. "She made a choice, and you do not need to see the results." Jerking his head at the two guardsmen, Tenmaru hastily ordered, "Dispose of the body and any other evidence… _quickly_." They saluted before disappearing over the edge of the roof, leaving the three of them alone amidst the ruined structures.

Sha waited for them to approach, his _youki_ outlining his form against the darkness. The faint 'thunk-thunk-thunk' of a helicopter's rotors was carried to them on the brisk night wind, as were the wails of approaching sirens. Kagome stumbled slightly as the adrenaline wore off, then was grateful for Tenmaru's support as he steadied her footing. "We'd better get out of here," she mumbled wearily into his shoulder before smiling reassuringly at her husband.

"Don't get me wrong, brat; I'm fucking grateful that you showed up when you did… but _why_ are you here?" Sha rumbled, his eyes still more red than gold, even though his facial markings had faded and his fangs weren't quite so obvious… but he still made no move to approach the pair.

Tenmaru let go of Kagome and straightened up. "The Shrine was attacked this evening, by the _yakuza_ known as the Band of Seven."

"_What?_" Sha and Kagome simultaneously exclaimed.

The young dog-hanyou twitched, but continued, "Sota Higurashi was taken, Lady Buyo is mortally wounded, and Lady Yayoi is now aware of the existence of youkai."

"Taken? What do you mean?" Kagome gasped.

"Kidnapped, presumably on Naraku's orders."

The young woman pressed her fingers against her suddenly-pounding temples. "At least it was Sota, not Mom or Gramps… and it's probably inevitable that Mom would find out about youkai sooner or later." She looked up with a watery smile that immediately disappeared. "Wait… Miss Buyo is injured?"

"Yes, Aunt. I was sent to bring you back to the Shrine and happened to arrive at a fortuitous moment," Tenmaru replied.

"Me? Why?"

"Brother is of the opinion that you can purify the _shouki _that has contaminated her wound."

"_Shouki_? Naraku was at the Shrine? _Again_?" Sha snarled.

"Not in person," his nephew answered. "Lady Buyo identified the thing bearing his scent as a golem before she was struck down. It appears that once again, Naraku used others to fight his battles for him. Instead, he was most likely involved in the abduction of Miss Mifune, who would have been a softer target."

"He grabbed Rin's reincarnation? And Tokyo's still standing? Where the fuck is Sess?"

"Restraining himself, Uncle; instead of levelling the city, he took out some of his aggressions on the Band of Seven. He and Brother are at the Shrine supervising the clean-up."

Sha finally held out his hand to Kagome, the extra-long claws glinting. "The cat would probably rather face your tender mercies than Tenseiga's steel, so we need to get there sooner rather than later," he said softly, his gentle tone somewhat at odds with his intimidating appearance.

"Tenseiga's steel?" Kagome queried, her desire to be in his arms speeding her stride.

"Long story," he evaded, then watched in disappointment when his wife's entire body lit up with pink light. Confused, Kagome looked down at herself, and then up in time to catch the resigned expression on Sha's face. "I figured as much; the Jewel is reacting to my _youki_. You'll have to ride with Tenmaru."

"I'd rather be with you," she grumbled, shaking her glowing hands as if to rid herself of the energy.

Sha swallowed his frustration. "I was pretty wound up when I thought you'd died… I need a little more time to calm down," he replied.

"Okay," she whispered regretfully before turning back to Tenmaru, who was studying his left paw rather intently. "Uh-oh… how are we going to do this without your _obi_?"

"Descent doesn't require the use of my arms," the young dog-hanyou replied, retracting his spear and shoving it through his waist wrap next to the short sword before going down on one knee.

Kagome sighed before moving the streamers of his hair out of the way. "Could you stop, er, wagging?" she asked after her third attempt to avoid stepping on his swishing tail.

The hanyou chuckled and held still; after she arranged herself against his back, he hitched her a little higher as he rose to his feet. "All right, Aunt?" he asked quietly.

"Not really," she truthfully replied, taking a firm grip on the straps securing his breastplate. Resting her head against his shoulder, she queried, "Is Gramps okay?"

"Your honoured grandfather had been earlier admitted to a clinic due to chest pains, so he is unaware of tonight's events. Your lady mother is coping admirably with everything that has happened."

"It's been quite the wedding day," Kagome mumbled, too tired to steel herself as both hanyou jogged across the roof away from the approaching sirens and jumped off the parapet. As they skidded down the side of the tower, she kept her eyes closed and stayed fairly relaxed. Several stories above the Assembly building's roof, they launched outward, redirecting their downward force into horizontal acceleration as they flew across the rooftops of the low-rise buildings that made up most of the Tokyo skyline, quickly leaving the Shinjuku district far behind.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"You fucking _owe_ me, Hitomi!" the mini-skirted _yakuza_ shrieked, his tattooed face twisted into a savage snarl. "My brothers are _dead_ because of you!"

"There were risks, yes, but your leader was aware of them," Narakage blandly replied, flicking his lapels. "I cannot have the boy… _damaged_… simply to slake your bloodlust."

"Maybe I'll just play with _you_, then," the _yakuza_ hissed, and his sword bit at his employer's jugular.

Dark reddish-brown eyes gleamed with sardonic laughter before Narakage yanked the weapon out of his flesh, the wound instantly sealing. His other hand transformed into a thin, whip-like appendage that snapped out and around his attacker's throat. Dragging the struggling man down onto his knees, Narakage smiled as he throttled him into submission. "Now, now, Jak… remember your place in the pecking order. Ren has managed to contain his emotions."

"Ren doesn't _have_ any emotions to contain!" the _yakuza_ choked out, dark spots dancing through his vision. The former 'chauffeur' arched an eyebrow, but remained silent.

The dark hanyou abruptly withdrew his appendage with a little caressing motion on Jak's cheek. Considering the risks to his plan, he finally conceded, "Very well; I give you permission to show Mr. Higurashi a little of your special 'hospitality', _but_…" he raised his finger as a perfectly lascivious smirk crossed Jak's face, "if you kill him, I will turn what's left of you over to the House of the West… and you saw what happened to Kyo's body, I believe?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome found the rhythms of Tenmaru's movements so lulling that she actually dozed off between his takeoffs and landings, even remaining in a semi-conscious state through the smooth transitions. _I wonder if it's because of his paws… he has bigger landing pads?_ She came awake with a start when he jostled her.

"Take a look, Aunt," he said quietly.

_I drooled on him! How embarrassing!_ Blinking owlishly as she tried to orient herself while wiping away the dribble of saliva marring the gleaming backplate, Kagome realized that they were poised on the roof of one of the apartment buildings overlooking the shrine grounds. "Oh… my…" she whispered as she surveyed the floodlit damage, which included a crumpled lump of metal that might once have been a vehicle.

"Fighting was fierce," Tenmaru commented before pushing off into space after Sha.

"No kidding. Are those _paw prints_?" They landed amongst crews shovelling gravel and power washing the paving stones; Sha didn't stop to inspect. Instead, he strode rapidly towards the house, workmen dodging out of his way. "Why hasn't his _youki _settled down yet?" Kagome asked worriedly as Tenmaru set her on her feet.

He carefully inspected his uncle's rigid posture as they followed in Sha's wake. "I assume it is because of his emotional distress over your apparent death."

At the foyer entrance, Sha stood aside, giving Kagome plenty of room to enter the house. She took a deep breath in an effort to project calm confidence to the fractious Jewel, and stepped forward. Her husband warily watched her approach, his appearance essentially back to normal except for bright rings of scarlet around his golden irises. One, two, three steps… and she stretched up on tip-toe, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Sha closed his eyes, catching her in his arms for a crushing hug, breathing deeply of her warm skin-scent. _Kagome_….

"Oh, Kagome, you're safe! Quick… Miss Buyo needs you!" Yayoi Higurashi exclaimed, beckoning urgently from the inner doorway. "Oh, goodness… _look_ at you! What happened to…?" She broke off at the sight of yet another silver-haired, golden-eyed, dog-eared hanyou, whose broad-shouldered silhouette certainly resembled her new son-in-law. Temporarily shelving her questions, she bustled Kagome into the house and handed her over to Tsugane, then retreated back outside to fuss over both Tenmaru and Sha.

"Auntie?" Tsugane asked, concerned about the exhaustion radiating from the young woman, not to mention her scratched, torn and filthy appearance.

She smiled gamely. "I understand that we have a patient?"

"Er, yes… we do," Tsugane replied, noting that she dodged his unspoken inquiry. "Right this way." Leading her into the _tatami_ room, he waited until she seated herself next to Buyo's unconscious form before pulling back the dressing.

"Oh, _no_," Kagome whispered, staring in shock at the raw flesh and exposed bone spreading across the cat-youkai's chest. When she instinctively reached to examine the injury, her fingertips sparked pink and she snatched back her hand.

"You're her only chance," Tsugane grimly explained. "She can't heal herself because the _shouki _is eating away at her, but if you can purify it…."

"How can I do that without injuring her even more?"

"You can channel your spiritual energy into an arrow, right?" When Kagome nodded, he held up a shining, narrow-bladed instrument. "Why not a scalpel?"

"I'll try," she immediately responded. Taking the implement, she inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm herself and then directed the power within her into the tiny blade. _Help me to protect Miss Buyo… she won't die if I can help it!_ A narrow beam of rosy light shot out of the scalpel, which was fortunately pointed up at the ceiling at the time. Frowning in concentration, Kagome brought the beam back down in length until it extended slightly beyond the tip of the blade… but it was a real effort to maintain her control. _This isn't going to be easy, but I __have__ to do this!_

"Here goes…." Moving with deliberate care, Kagome started on the tendrils of dark purple _shouki _worming their way towards her patient's heart. _Oh, that's… ugh. Poor Miss Buyo! She'd be in so much pain if she was conscious!_ She could actually see the cardiac muscle rapidly pumping inside the cat-youkai's ribcage because the demonic acid had dissolved the intervening flesh to a level of transparency. _It's like doing open-heart surgery… sort of._ Trying very hard to only touch the charged scalpel to the invading _shouki_ while avoiding all contact with Buyo's vital tissues, the young woman began to sweat with the effort.

Chasing the menacing tendrils away from their target, Kagome gripped the scalpel so tightly that her fingers cramped. Sitting back to flex them, she watched in dismay as the _shouki _began flowing back into the fissures she'd just cleaned. "Darn it!" Going back to work with a renewed purpose, she was disconcerted when her hand began shaking. Willing the tremors to stop, she found that the energy flowing through the scalpel became uncontrollable, endangering the life she was trying to save.

Just before she gave way to panic, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and a clawed hand gently grasped her wrist. "You're exhausted, Mishi," Tsugane murmured in her ear. "I'll keep your hand steady, while you concentrate on controlling your power."

She gratefully leaned back into his embrace, until she thought of something. "Sha's not going to like this," she muttered uneasily, remembering her husband's strong protective streak.

"He's not here to have a hissy," he assured, after a quick look to make sure. "Your lady mother is outside chatting him up, so I'm momentarily safe from both of them."

"_Both_ of them?"

"Lady Yayoi has quickly developed something of an ear-fetish."

Snickering, Kagome relaxed and let the Jewel's power flow, watching Tsugane guide her hand and the glowing scalpel through the injury. The amount of active _shouki_ reduced significantly with each pass until it had been chased back to its entry point in Buyo's shoulder.

"It's working, Mishi… look, her flesh is beginning to heal." It was true; Buyo's heart was now concealed from view by fresh layers of healthy tissue and bone. "Just a little bit more, and we've done it!" Kagome bit her lip in concentration as their joined hands moved in concentric circles, herding the _shouki_ into a smaller and smaller concentration until with a final sizzle, the dark vapour vanished. "Excellent job, Dr. Higurashi," Tsugane teased, releasing her and moving to inspect the now-rapidly healing wound before covering it with a fresh dressing. "_Shit!_"

The young woman silently toppled over, the scalpel slipping from her hand to stick quivering in the _tatami_ mat; only Tsugane's superior reflexes saved Kagome from a nasty collision with the floor. While the dog-hanyou checked her pulse, Sha crashed into the room. "What the _hell_ happened?" he demanded.

Tsugane quickly replied, "She's just fainted; she was exhausted to start out with, and having to concentrate so hard finished her off… but she was successful. Lady Buyo is out of danger."

"Keh," Sha grunted as he extracted Kagome's limp form from Tsugane's arms, carried her across the room to the opposite corner, and settled down with her cradled in his lap. Removing her quiver and laying it aside, he unzipped her jacket, then hooked his claw into the neckline of the t-shirt and peered intently at her chest.

"Uncle… what are you doing?" Tsugane asked as he finished attending to the unconscious cat-youkai, keeping his tone resolutely neutral as Sha thoroughly inspected Kagome's cleavage.

"Making sure that the witch's curse is really gone," the elder hanyou growled. "It was too damn close tonight; if Tenmaru hadn't arrived when he did, she'd be dead."

Tsugane wiped off his hands on his _hakama_ and seated himself next to Sha. "_Crap_. Naraku was one step ahead of us the entire time."

"Sess brought me up to speed when we were outside… so, the fucker also snatched your mother's reincarnation and the whelp."

"Hostages." Tsugane glanced down at Kagome, his expression clouded. "No question as to what he'll want in return."

"Over my dead body."

"It _can't_ come to that."

"Is everything all right?" Yayoi hesitated on the threshold, wringing her hands. Sesshiro loomed behind her, his yellow eyes glittering in the hallway's gloom although his face remained impassive.

"Yes," Tsugane replied with forced cheer. "Aunt is simply a little tuckered out from her successful life-saving efforts."

"Oh! Miss Buyo will recover?"

"Completely, ma'am."

"That's a relief," she sighed, then announced, "I'll make _miso_ soup… I need a little something, and I'm sure we could all use a cup of tea," and darted towards the kitchen after a quick stop to lightly stroke the sleeping cat-youkai's cheek.

Sesshiro stepped into the room, followed by Tenmaru. Sweeping the _youki_-generated fur looped over his shoulder to the side, he seated himself with his swords across his lap and without preamble, said, "Sota Higurashi's weapon was located a dozen blocks away to the north-west; it appears that it was thrown from a moving vehicle. Our enemy has covered his tracks exceedingly well; not a scent-trace nor witness to indicate his location."

"_Bastard_," Sha snarled, his eyes flickering red and causing a tiny, answering pulse of pink to glow through the material of Kagome's top.

"I expect that we will be informed of his demands tomorrow afternoon, with the confrontation most likely at nightfall."

"Why nightfall, Father?"

Fangs flashed. "He will try to make us sweat for as long as possible."

"I fucking _hate_ being on the defensive. How can you be so fucking _calm_? He has your _wife_, dammit!"

Sesshiro cast a significant glance towards the kitchen, and Sha flattened his ears. "Pointless tantrums waste energy better put towards strategy, Brother," the taiyoukai calmly intoned.

"Mr. Tenmaru? Would you be a dear and give me a hand?" Yayoi called and the young hanyou eagerly jumped to do her bidding. As steaming cups of tea were passed around, Sha declined the one offered because he was completely focussed on the young woman in his arms. "The soup will be ready in a few minutes," his mother-in-law said, gently brushing her daughter's bangs away from her forehead. "Try to wake her up because I'm sure it's been a while since either of you ate anything."

"What time is it, anyways?" he asked.

"Almost midnight," she replied as she took both Tenmaru and their serving trays back into the kitchen.

Sha massaged his neck with his free hand, wincing. "Helluva day."

"You'll have no excuse for ever forgetting your anniversary," Tsugane pointed out, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's assuming we _have_ an anniversary."

Shaken by his uncle's dark tone, Tsugane instantly said, "Think positive, Uncle."

Sha didn't reply, instead turning his efforts to waking his wife. Brushing his fingertips across her grimy cheek, he lightly tickled her ear until her eyelashes flickered. _If we were alone, I'd kiss her awake… hell, if we were alone, I wouldn't __stop__ at just kissing._ "Oi, girl," he softly greeted when her eyes finally opened. "You've used up your life-time quota for giving me heart failure tonight."

"Sh-sha…? Where…? Oh, right," Kagome mumbled, grimacing slightly.

"Your mother's made _miso_ soup."

"It's morning already?" she asked, clearly befuddled.

He couldn't help but grin as he helped her to sit up, arranging her in his lap so she was nestled against his chest. "Not exactly… more like a midnight snack."

Kagome rubbed her eyes, then squinted at the futon across the room. "How's Miss Buyo?"

"It's only been a few minutes since you started your beauty sleep. According to the brat, she's fine."

The young woman smiled wearily at Tsugane. "Thanks for your help earlier."

"No problem, Auntie," he winked.

Mrs. Higurashi and Tenmaru arrived at that moment with trays of covered bowls. Clucking over Kagome's dishevelled appearance, she handed her some soup and a pair of chopsticks. Sha finally accepted a cup of tea at Yayoi's insistence; she gently tweaked his ear as she served herself. The maternal gesture brought a lump to the hanyou's throat as he contemplated what he might have lost. _The two women most important to me… how can I protect them against an enemy that holds all the cards?_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Good evening, Miss Mifune."

The young woman flattened herself against the far wall, her eyes showing white against the gloom. "What have you done with Mr. Higurashi?" she demanded, her voice a high-pitched rasp.

"My associate is showing him some, ahem, _special_ attention," Narakage smoothly replied, inhaling the scent of her fear like a rare perfume. "Don't worry… he will shortly be returned." Loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, he slowly paced across the room, smiling with dark pleasure as she tried to sidle away but only succeeded in thoroughly cornering herself. "My dear, _dear_ Miss Mifune; please don't be afraid. I promise I won't hurt you… any more than necessary," he purred, thoroughly enjoying her terrified scream as tentacles burst out of his midsection and rushed towards her.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

As soon as Kagome had slurped the last bit of broth, Yayoi whisked the bowl out of her hand. "Please excuse us, gentlemen; I wish to speak to my daughter." Kagome complied without protest, although Sha briefly looked pained at having to let her go. The young woman was surprised to be led into the kitchen instead of upstairs, the usual venue for mother-daughter chats in the past, but understood when Yayoi shooed her into the bathroom. "You'll feel much better after a quick shower, dear; I'll fetch your pyjamas."

"Thanks, mom," Kagome sighed, sliding out of her leather jacket.

Yayoi touched her daughter's grubby cheek. "Mr. Tenmaru told me what happened… a heavily edited version, I suspect."

"It was… unpleasant," she agreed, then tilted her head. "You must have been, um, surprised to find out that youkai exist?"

The older woman smiled quietly. "I was a little taken aback, especially when I ended up on the roof with your _other_ nephew."

"On the _roof_?"

"It was the safest place at that moment; one of the attackers had tentacles."

"_Tentacles!_"

"Calm down, dear, or I suspect that your husband will be joining us." Yayoi stopped to consider her words, then continued, "Dogs are known for their loyalty and protective natures… I assume that dog-youkai exhibit the same tendencies?"

"From what I've seen so far… yes," Kagome agreed.

Yayoi nodded. "Considering what you're up against as the Shikon miko, I am quite content to have Sha's family on our side. When did _you_ discover your husband's true nature?"

"Wednesday afternoon, when Grandpa 'fell sick'; he'd actually been attacked by a youkai that was after the Jewel. We managed to kill it, but Sha was badly injured while protecting me."

"Ah… so it wasn't a viral illness after all."

"Er, no. In Sha's case, it was a sword through his chest."

Yayoi pondered that information for a moment while Kagome stripped out of her ruined clothing and headed for the shower stall. "What _really_ happened the day we found Sha in your bedroom?"

"A giant caterpillar-youkai."

"Good heavens! Anything else?"

"That earthquake on Thursday? A dragon-youkai." Kagome managed a chuckle at her mother's stunned expression as she stepped under the warm spray. "Mom… what about Grandpa? And S-sota?" she asked, leaning her forehead against the cool tiles, allowing the soothing water to flow over her aching body.

Mrs. Higurashi gathered up the discarded clothing. "Grandfather suffered chest pains this afternoon and finally agreed to go to the clinic around dinnertime. The doctor thinks he may have suffered a mild heart attack, but he's stable. Lord Nishiki has arranged for a security detail… although he feels that this Naraku fellow won't bother us again tonight."

"Because he has what he wants," Kagome mumbled. "Bargaining chips."

"I _am_ worried," Yayoi admitted, hugging the laundry to her chest. "However, Lord Nishiki is confident that Sota will be all right, so I'm doing my best to think positive. By the way, did you know that Lord Nishiki can turn into an enormous white dog?"

"You _saw_ him?"

"Impressive, if a little unnerving. I'll be back in a minute with your bedclothes."

After the bathroom door shut, Kagome slowly washed her hair and soaped herself down, aware of every little twinge in her muscles. _Well, I can't expect_ _to fall off a skyscraper and not have any injuries… it could've been so much worse._ A shudder passed through her frame as she unsuccessfully tried to _not_ imagine Tsubaki's fate_. Mom took the news about youkai fairly well… and has an 'ear-fetish' according to Tsugane. _Recalling Sha's response to her private ear-fondling gave her pause. _Maybe Tsugane's mother used to pet his ears? Let's hope it was done in a maternal fashion!_ Kagome had just finished soaping up when the door opened, and Yayoi deposited her kitten-adorned pink pyjamas on the counter.

"Here you go, sweetie. Feeling better?"

"Yes, mom… thanks." After the door closed, while rinsing off, Kagome was abruptly struck by a great weariness that threatened to buckle her knees. _Ohhh… maybe not 'better', after all._ Turning off the taps, she leaned heavily against the wall, fighting the urge to simply close her eyes and slip away into oblivion. _Splitting my head open or breaking my arm now wouldn't be an ideal way to face Naraku tomorrow._ Forcing herself to remain both upright and conscious, Kagome worked her way out of the shower stall and across the room to the towels. However, that was it; she managed to land awkwardly and painfully on one of the small wooden bath stools. _That's__ gonna bruise._ Dragging a towel around her shoulders, she wrapped her arms around her knees. _Just a minute or two to catch my breath…._

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The young woman flinched as the steel panel briefly opened and a body was heaved inside. "Here you go, girlie… I left some for you!" chirped a falsetto voice, and then the door to the cell slammed shut, leaving her in near-darkness. The metallic tang of blood filled her nose, overpowering the pervading stench of rotten fish, mildew and diesel. The owner of the body groaned, and she jumped. Shaking off the terror that had been eating away at her, she painfully crawled to his side.

"Mr. Higurashi?" she whispered, tentatively reaching to brush the matted, damp hair away from his face, and recoiled, her fingertips sticky with fluid. "Please, don't die!"

"S'okay, Miss Mifune," the teenager slurred, his face pressed into the decaying rubber matting, his clothing hanging off him in shreds. "Jus' a scratch…."

"How can I help you?"

"Wanna roll over…" Karin bit back a sob and helped Sota onto his back, revealing a vicious pattern of criss-crossing cuts covering his torso and thighs. Grimacing, he mumbled, "Hurts like an effing mofo… 'scuse me, miss."

"It's all right… don't trouble yourself on my account," Karin replied, smearing at the tears streaking her bruised cheeks. She pulled her torn sleeve over her hand and dabbed at the blood on his face. "What did he _do_ to you?" she asked in horror, noting how all the slices were shallow, seemingly designed to shed as much blood as possible without killing the victim.

"You don' wanna know… but th' bastard's gonna regret it." Sota craned his neck in an attempt to look down at his injuries; Karin cast aside social mores and carefully pillowed his head on her lap.

"Thanks, miss… that's better," Sota murmured, his eyes sliding closed. "Jus' need to hang on 'til th' dogs sniff 'em out…."

"You mean the police?"

A faint smile curved his lips. "Bigger an' nastier than _that_." As the young man slid towards oblivion, Karin covered her face with her hands and wept.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"I will maintain a watch outside," Sesshiro stated. "Our allies are on alert across the city."

"What about the young woman that was kidnapped? Her family must be frantic!" Yayoi said worriedly, turning her tea cup in her hands.

"The police have been informed," Tenmaru assured.

"_Why_ was she taken?"

"She is, um, connected to our family," Tsugane carefully replied. Yayoi noted the underlying tension among the four dog-youkai at the mention of the unfortunate Miss Mifune, and wisely dropped the subject.

"Tenmaru, you will remain here." Inclining his head to Yayoi, Sesshiro rose to his feet and swept outside, his _youki_ crackling; Tsugane bobbed a bow and raced after him.

After a moment of silence, Mrs. Higurashi clapped her hands. "Off to bed, everyone," she briskly commanded. "Mr. Tenmaru, I can offer you a futon…."

"Thank you kindly, ma'am, but I will sit up with Lady Buyo," he replied. "Youkai don't require as much sleep as humans."

"Handy trait in a situation like this," she observed. "I'll sleep in Sota's room, then, since my room is rather a shambles."

Sha's ear twitched. "The shower stopped running ten minutes ago," he muttered.

"I'll see what's taking her; she was very tired." Yayoi bustled off, and the two hanyou soon heard her chivvying Kagome into her clothing. "Sha, can you give me a hand?" she called, and he leapt at her summons. Inside the bathroom, he found his mother-in-law struggling to dress his half-naked wife. "Hold her upright until I can get these pyjama bottoms on her," Yayoi directed, and he propped up the barely-conscious young woman while she efficiently completed the task. Scooping Kagome into his arms, he smiled a little when she burrowed into his shoulder and fell sound asleep.

"The day must have finally been too much for her," Yayoi observed as Sha carried his wife through the laundry room and out into the kitchen. As they passed, Mrs. Higurashi patted Tenmaru's arm. "If you're hungry, there are leftovers from the wedding lunch in the refrigerator. Help yourself, dear."

"Thank you, ma'am," the young dog-hanyou replied, smiling boyishly.

At the bottom of the stairs, Yayoi stopped Sha and first kissed Kagome, then tugged on his sidelock to bring his cheek into range. "Tomorrow will be a long day, my son, so try to rest as much as possible tonight." She stopped, noticing the shabby hilt of his sword for the first time, because he couldn't hide it with his arms full of her daughter. "Is that… the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga?"

"Yes." He held his breath, waiting for her next question, because he hadn't identified himself as the mythical youkai pinned to the Goshinboku when they'd earlier spoken, but she didn't follow up.

Making shooing motions with her hands, Yayoi continued, "Off you go. I tidied up Kagome's room so that the bed is accessible."

"Good night, Mother," Sha said, with a small bow, and turned to ascend the stairs. He took a quick peek inside Yayoi's bedroom door, since it was open, and raised his eyebrows at the boarded-up window and the scattered debris. _Shit. Fuck Naraku, anyways._ Shouldering open Kagome's door, he was greeted by another tumbled mess, but a path to the bed had been cleared and the sheets turned down. Carefully arranging the young woman on the bed, he tucked the blankets around her shoulders and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead; she didn't even stir, apparently deeply asleep. Closing the door, he turned out the light and took a seat on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed with Tetsusaiga propped against his shoulder. _This is my worst fucking nightmare come to life. I'm going to lose her… I __know__ it. _ He was trying to _not_ work himself into an even more agitated state when his hair was lightly pulled.

"Come t' bed," Kagome mumbled, her eyes closed.

"Gotta stay awake and watch over you," he replied, disentangling her fingers from his hair and kissing her palm.

"Lotsa guards outside… c'mon," she urged.

He glanced down at himself. "My clothes are filthy."

"Take 'em off, then… I'm wearing 'nough for both of us." When he still hesitated, Kagome folded back the blankets and whispered, "_Please_."

Sha exhaled, considering, and then mentally threw his hands in the air. _What the hell. Doesn't really matter, does it?_ Stripping down to his underwear, he slid under the covers alongside the young woman, who immediately pillowed her head on his shoulder and draped her arm around his waist. "I don't smell that great," he warned as she snuggled close.

"Don' care," she sighed, as her knee slid between his thighs. "Wanna be wi' you."

"You're lying on my sword arm," he felt obliged to point out, but Kagome was already fast asleep, her fingers flexing on his skin. Sha tucked Tetsusaiga behind her back, then clasped her tickling hand in his and brought up both to rest over his heart, his other hand toying with her damp hair. Staring up at the ceiling, surrounded by her gentle scent, he tried to not think about tomorrow's likely outcome and failed miserably. _Dammit, it isn't fucking __fair__. I just found her a week ago, and now… she'll be taken away, like everyone else I've ever loved_. His eyes burned with tears, but instead of hastily scrubbing them away, he let them flow since there wasn't anyone to witness his weakness. _Is __this__ my destiny? To have a taste of happiness, but then lose it for centuries, until the gods decide to play with my heart again?_

Sha rolled onto his side, carefully dislodging the slumbering young woman. Looking down at her face, he admired soft, slightly pouted lips and thick, dark lashes as she slept in his arms. Caressing her skin with pads of his fingers, his heart aching, Sha burned her delicate features into his memory. _Kagome… the other half of my soul… gods, I want you to be my future._ _What price will we have to pay to be free of Naraku?_ A stray tear drop landed on her cheek as he wrapped himself around her, hiding his misery in her hair.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**


	13. Obsessed

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** A little bit of calm before the dragon-shit _really_ hits the fan.

Rumiko Takahashi's new manga, _Rin-ne_, recently featured a story arc that highlighted the various life forms that reincarnations may experience, and the information fitted nicely into this chapter.

**Bouquets** to my CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Angst and a side serving of coarse language with a dash of partial nudity.

**The Price**

**Chapter Thirteen: Obsessed**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_Heavy… something's heavy… oof, so hot!_ Kagome reluctantly swam back to consciousness as her brain urgently insisted that she had to wake up and deal with something, _now_.

There was indeed something, or rather, _someone_ pressing her into the mattress, his lean muscled frame wracked by shudders that she quickly identified as sobs. Completely baffled and instantly concerned, Kagome slid her arms up around Sha and hugged him tight. The anguished sounds and movements instantly stopped, but it was several long minutes of soothing caresses before the hanyou pulled back far enough to reveal suspiciously wet lashes. Laying her cool fingers on his damp, flushed cheek, she searched his stricken expression. Before she could speak, he kissed her with near-desperate urgency; when he finally let her breathe, Kagome managed to whisper, "What's wrong?"

His sorrowful golden eyes became even more clouded, and when he tried to speak, he had to swallow a few times before he could get the words out. "When I saw you go over the edge," he painfully rasped, "I knew that no matter how hard I _try_… no matter how much I _want_… I can't stop Naraku from hurting you." Overcome, he worked his arms beneath her and crushed her against him.

_What am I supposed to say to __that__?_ Kagome tried to find something appropriate and reassuring to say, but came up empty. "Does that mean… we just give up?" she asked, icy fear making her shiver despite her pyjamas and the heat of his body.

"_No!_" Sha's jaw clenched, his expression one of pained determination. "As long as I'm breathing, I'll keep fighting to protect you."

A lump rose in Kagome's throat but she managed to choke out, "Oh, Sha…" then gave up trying to say anything else in favour of showing him her feelings through a long, intense kiss. Her blood heated when the kiss deepened, turned from desperate to sensuous, until she was making needy little noises in the back of her throat.

They were both breathing hard when they parted, and Kagome's heartbeat instantly kicked up into a higher gear when Sha's mouth traced a path down to her collarbone, where he was stopped by the modest neckline of her pyjama top. Growling lightly in frustration, he kissed the delicate notch at the base of her throat before working his way back up to her lips.

Kagome was highly aware of Sha's erection pressing against her thigh, of the answering anxious flutter in her stomach as they kissed slowly and deeply. _This might be my only chance_… Working her hands in between them and fumbling with the buttons of her top, she managed to pop the top two before Sha realized what she was about and pushed himself up on his elbows, allowing her to finish the job. Blushing madly as nervousness overtook her, she let her hands drop to give the hanyou the next move.

He searched her suddenly-shy expression for several moments before he first dropped Tetsusaiga over the side of the bed and then slowly folded the soft fabric away from her skin, exposing her to his gaze. She found herself tensing in anticipation of his touch, but instead of going straight for an obvious erogenous zone, Sha simply embraced her, skin against skin. Kissing her tenderly, he hummed deep in his throat, the sound vibrating through her body. Her nerves calming from Sha's gentle attentions, Kagome hummed a little herself, and when they broke the kiss, she was pleased to see that the darkness had left his eyes… but it had been replaced by a more intense emotion.

"Eight hours ago, you weren't ready for this," he murmured huskily, tracing circles on her bared shoulder with a careful claw-tip.

She smiled wryly. "Eight _days_ ago, the most important thing on my mind was passing my courses, but a near-death experience has a way of organizing your priorities."

"Are you _sure_ you're okay with this?"

"As I was falling, I thought of the people that mattered to me, especially _you_, and I regretted that I hadn't shown you how much I appreciated your arrival in my life." Swallowing hard, finding Sha's chin easier to look at than his eyes, she whispered, "If things go sideways tomorrow, they won't let me on the wheel of reincarnation if I have any regrets… and I want to come back to you as quickly as possible."

"_Kagome_…."

"Well, not _too_ soon. It'd suck if I was a turtle, or a mackerel, or something." Her voice broke; biting back a sob, the tears began to flow.

Sha immediately kissed away the salty droplets. "Hush," he murmured, his throat tight. "There has to be a way out of this mess. There _has_ to be." Gathering her close, he took her with him as he rolled onto his back. Sliding his hand under her loosened pyjama top, he began stroking her back in long, soothing sweeps.

"I-I'm _so scared_," Kagome whimpered, her entire body trembling as she gave way to the fear of what might await her with the dawn. Sha's heart broke a little more as he tried to comfort her, but felt the same sense of helplessness. The storm subsided after a while; Kagome wiped her eyes and his chest with her sleeve before managing a weak chuckle. "Yousound rather feline when you do that humming-thing."

"You're calling _me_ a cat?" he teasingly complained, but was taken aback when her eyes again filled with tears.

"Miss Buyo's purring was always the loudest when I was upset or stressed; I thought it was so nice that she seemed to understand exactly how I was feeling." Taking a deep breath in an effort to control her voice, she continued, "She was injured because of me… because of the Jewel."

Shuddering violently, Kagome hid her face in his throat. "I-I've killed with my own hands… Abihime, our guardsman… I didn't even know his name! And I'm sure that more guardsmen died tonight in the attack on the Shrine. I'm _doomed_… I'll come back as a brine shrimp." Sha tightened his arms around her, struggling for words, but his blood turned to ice when she whispered, "It won't end until I'm d-dead."

"Don't _say_ that! Fuck, don't even _think_ it!" he snarled, anger masking his pain, but the hot emotion instantly drained away at her muffled sob.

"I-I'm sorry… I'm having trouble thinking positive right now," Kagome said in a very small voice.

Growling, Sha tucked her head under his chin. _I have to be strong… for both of us. Thinking like a loser means I __will__ lose her._ Running his hands over her warm skin, he tried to come up with a rational plan and discarded all of them until something possibly reassuring occurred. Cautiously turning the idea around in his mind, he decided it was worthwhile considering. "If destiny, or karma, or whatever, has brought us together _now_, it must have been waiting for the right moment," he began. "You and the Jewel, me and the Tetsusaiga… at least one piece was missing until now. You might've been reborn before, but without the Jewel, or maybe even in a different country." As the girl in his arms went very still, he continued, "Last time, we didn't know who the enemy was, but this time, we do. Naraku's can't easily use the same shape-shifting shit on us because we're together most of the time, so his chances of turning us against each other are slim to nil. That's why he's been using others to do his dirty work for him."

Kagome murmured, "This time _has_ to be different." Lifting her head, she gazed intently at the hanyou. "Do you trust me, Sha?"

He was plainly puzzled. "What do you mean?" Even as he said it, understanding dawned. "I get it… Naraku drove a wedge between Kikyo and me because we didn't trust each other enough."

Kagome's eyes darkened. "You knew _her_ for six months before he struck… me, only a week," she said sadly. "That's hardly enough time…."

"It's _more_ than enough, Kagome." Sha brought up his hand to cup her cheek. "We've protected each other, accepted each other… believed in each other… yeah, it's only been a week, but we're already a team." Holding her gaze, he firmly added, "We gotta move forward and think positive, or the bastard's beaten us without lifting a finger." Stroking his claws through her hair, he encouraged her to again rest her head against his chest.

Sighing deeply, Kagome listened to his heartbeat for several moments before voicing another concern. "I-I'm worried about Sota… and Miss Mifune. They're involved because of the Jewel, too…."

"Not Miss Mifune," Sha immediately replied. "She was grabbed because Naraku has a score to settle with Sess."

"Then she's in even more danger than Sota!"

"_Shhh_," he soothed, rubbing the agitated young woman's nape. "If even one hair on Miss Mifune's head is out of place, there won't be enough of Naraku left to fill one of your mother's teacups… and the bastard knows it. He wants power, not a funeral urn." Shifting his grip, Sha rolled both of them onto their sides. Tucking the open fronts of Kagome's pyjamas back into place before cuddling her close, he added, "Your brother's pretty tough, for a human, and he's of no use to Naraku if he's dead, so he's probably fine. Roughed up, for sure, but alive."

"I hope so," she muttered fervently, burrowing into his arms.

Sha hummed deep in his throat while continuing to massage Kagome's neck with his thumb, his other hand resting comfortably on the curve of her hip. "Let's get some sleep," he said, kissing the crown of her head while stifling a yawn. "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow, and we need to be able to think straight." Kagome mumbled what sounded like an agreement and then reminded his other head of the intimacy that they _almost _enjoyed earlier when she thoroughly entwined her limbs with his, her breasts pressing against him through the soft fabric. His body reacted emphatically to her proximity; he wondered if she'd notice.

She'd noticed, all right, and was reminded of the reason why she'd unbuttoned her top in the first place. _Gods, __how__ do you ask someone if they want to… do __that__? Just straight out, I guess; I feel like a condemned man making his last request… a cigarette would be simpler, but I don't smoke. _ "Um, Sha?"

He nuzzled her hair, aware of her sudden and acute nervousness. _She's working her way up to something upsetting again._ "Yeah?"

"Er…."

"Uh-huh?"

"Wouldyoumakelovetome?"

Sha blinked rapidly. _That's__ not what I expected! _Kagome shifted restlessly in his arms and he quickly tried to figure out an appropriate response. _Where the hell did that come from? _ _Shit. My first chance to get laid in… well, a __really__ fucking long time… and I have to take the high road._ "You're not gonna die, so don't pressure yourself into doing something you're not ready for."

"But…."

The hanyou sighed as he carefully ordered his thoughts and told his wildly cheering libido to shut up. "I don't think we should take _that_ step… especially tonight." The young woman went very still; before she could retreat, he continued, "Don't get me wrong… under different circumstances, I'll be more than willing…."

"But not now," Kagome said dejectedly, starting to turn in on herself and away from Sha's rejection. _I'm an idiot. _Fumbling with the buttons, she refastened her bedclothes. _I should've kept my big mouth shut._

Sha refused to let her close herself off. "I can tell by your scent that you're nervous, not aroused." Forcing her chin up so that he could see her mortified expression, he gently said, "I'm saying 'no' right now because of our situation, _not_ because I don't want you." Pulling her flush against him when she tried curling up into a defensive ball, he added, "_I_ wouldn't enjoy our first time with all this shit going on, and I doubt you would, either."

"I don't have enough experience to know if I would or not," she waspishly retorted, trying to squirm free of his grip.

"You and your fiancé didn't…?" he couldn't help asking even as he thwarted her escape attempts.

"Hojo blushed when he held my hand, and a peck on the cheek was as far as things progressed before Gramps made me break it off."

"_Stop_ fighting me, Kagome," Sha interjected, torn between amusement and concern as she redoubled her efforts to distance herself. "I'm not letting go… not now, not ever. Remember our 'family motto'?"

She wrinkled her nose, but there was a hint of a smile in her voice when she muttered, "You are _such_ a brat." Slipping her arm around his waist, she exhaled gustily as she gave up resisting and mentally smacked herself for putting both of them through the wringer. _He's right… what was I thinking?_ Sighing again, she acknowledged the fear that led to her request and had a small epiphany. _I trust him… completely._

Alert to the changes in her scent as she calmed down and relaxed, Sha kissed her tenderly at first and then with more intensity as she willingly responded. "We'll get through this, Kagome… together," he promised.

Kagome hugged him as close as she could. "Thank you for, um, being _sensible_ when I wasn't."

"No problem… just don't expect me to be so fucking 'sensible' the next time you proposition me with your clothes half off." Sha squeezed her tighter as she giggled, relieved that her scent had cleared. _That__ was one helluva rollercoaster. This girl… life with her is never gonna be dull!_ _I hope Sess has pulled some fantastic plan out of his ass, because I __can't__ lose her_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The aforementioned taiyoukai poked his aristocratic nose into their bedroom via the window at the crack of dawn, but was greeted by such a thoroughly malevolent glare that he retreated with measured haste.

_I know he's got a flea up his tail, but I'm not moving from this spot for as long as possible_. Settling back into the pillow, Sha smiled at Kagome's briefly-scrunched face as she snuggled into his shoulder. _Remaining calm is the only way I'll survive today._ Inhaling deeply of her warm scent, he realistically considered the likelihood of keeping his cool. _Right, hanyou… if Naraku goes after her, all bets are fucking __off__. _On that thought, he decided to try an experiment. Carefully notching up his _youki_ one level at a time, he watched for the Jewel's reaction. Unlike the previous night, when the slightest increase brought immediate warning, he was able to introduce a small amount of _jyaki_ before the Jewel flared to life. _Musta burned itself out last night; either that, or Kagome is subconsciously controlling it in order to protect me._

Burying his nose in her hair, he resolutely thought about nothing in particular for a while until he heard the faint sounds of conversation downstairs and detected the fragrance of grilling fish. His ears and his nose twitching, Sha decided that it was time. _It's still fucking early, considering the night we had, but it looks like we'll be chased out of bed fairly quickly anyways._ There were dark circles marring the skin beneath Kagome's eyes, and he regretted even more having to awaken her. _She's exhausted, but it'll be over soon._ _We'll sleep in tomorrow… hell, all fucking __week__ if I can manage it!_ Sliding down the bedding until they were face-to-face, he began sprinkling kisses across her forehead and cheeks. When Kagome stirred, Sha lightly nipped her nose.

"_Mmmph_… too early," she frowned without opening her eyes.

"Sess has already come knocking, and your mother's making breakfast," he answered, nibbling delicately on her earlobe.

"Good for them." Shivering from his attentions, she rubbed her cheek against his. "Wanna stay here… with you," she clarified.

He flipped the blankets up over their heads, abruptly shrouding them in darkness. "Hide here under the covers until it all blows over?" Sha playfully suggested.

Kagome murmured, "If only…" before pulling him down for a long, sweet kiss that quickly heated up their cocoon.

"_Whew!_" As the quilts flew in the air and she giggled at his imitation of a surfacing whale, Sha admired the young woman's pretty smile and sparkling eyes… and was suddenly overcome by emotion. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe," he promised, his voice rough.

The laughter died on her lips as she studied his face. "I know you will," she whispered, kissing him softly. Their tender caresses continued until someone tapped lightly on the door. "_Uhhh_… er, y-yes?" Kagome called, reluctantly ending a particularly sensual kiss and squirming as Sha swirled his tongue over the delicate skin below her ear.

"Breakfast is ready, you sleepyheads," answered Mrs. Higurashi through the panel. "There's already a crew outside cleaning up the courtyard!"

"We'll be, um, right down."

"Speak for yourself," Sha muttered in her ear, his breathing ragged and his body highly aroused. "I _really_ don't wanna embarrass myself in front of your mother." Throwing back the covers, he untangled himself from her and said, "Get out of here before I change my mind about being 'sensible'." Instead, Kagome threaded her fingers into his hair and rubbed his ears until he yanked her to him for a passionate kiss that quickly had her moaning into his mouth. Breaking the contact with an effort, Sha rasped, "Out… _now_," and forcefully pushed himself away.

Kagome bit her lip as a little thrill went through her at the obvious effect she had on him, but rather than testing his control any further, she rolled off the bed and stood upright. Stepping over the pile of Sha's clothing, she picked up Tetsusaiga from where it had been unceremoniously discarded the night before. Laying the weapon on the sheets beside its owner, she gave the tattered hilt an affectionate pat before setting herself the task of looking for something to wear in the disordered room. "Darn! My sweatshirt is at the apartment," she complained, sitting back on her heels after a brief search.

"That shade of yellow oughta be illegal," Sha commented from the bed, where he lay on his back with one hand tucked comfortably under his head and the other lazily scratching his bare stomach as he watched her with hooded eyes. "I risk retinal damage every time you wear it."

"Really? How about this one, then?" she blandly asked, holding up a fluorescent pink version.

"Shit, woman, you _are_ colour blind!" he snorted, shading his face.

"Actually, I thought this might be suitable for you, since your clothes are kinda wrecked." Cackling gleefully, she easily dodged the flung pillow. Tossing back the soft projectile, still laughing, Kagome gathered her clothing and went across the hall to her mother's room, but changed her mind when she saw the state of destruction. _Guess what we'll be doing this morning… more clean-up! Mom must have slept downstairs._ Returning to her room, she surprised Sha, who was now seated on the edge of the bed in his underwear and contemplating his dirty t-shirt with a jaundiced expression. "Sota has an over-sized hoody, and his sweatpants might fit you," she offered. "They'll do until your clothes are washed."

"Keh." He wrapped a blanket around himself and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To give you some privacy while you get dressed," Sha shrugged, as if the answer should be obvious.

"It's, um, okay… I don't mind if you stay."

"You sure?" A dark eyebrow arched.

Kagome lifted her chin. "Yes, I'm sure." He merely grunted what sounded like an affirmative as he sat back down; she turned her back to him and began unbuttoning her top. Slipping out of the pink flannel, she peeked over her shoulder to see Sha looking fixedly out the window. "Er, is anything wrong?"

"I have a beautiful woman taking off her clothes in front of me but I can't pounce on her… other than that, no, nothing," the hanyou sighed mournfully, not taking his eyes from the branches of the Goshinboku.

Kagome blushed and hastily dressed. "Um, okay… done. I'll go grab something for you." Flashing Sha a quick smile, she again headed for the door. However, she paused on the threshold, her stomach twisting.

"What's wrong?" Sha instantly demanded, alerted by her scent.

"Reality sucks," she whispered around the lump in her throat.

The hanyou stood up and held out a clawed hand. "C'mere." When she laid her fingers across his palm, he pulled her into a fierce embrace. "Your brother's coming home, and we're gonna kick Naraku's ass back into whichever hell he crawled out of. It's gonna be a _good_ day," he declared, kissing her firmly.

Buoyed by his optimism and more than a little breathless from the kiss, she promised, "I'll be right back," with a smile.

Sha ran his claws through the length of her hair before releasing her, but he retained a hold on a single lock, allowing it to slip slowly through his fingers as she backed up. "Nothing girly," he warned, tugging lightly before letting go.

"Maybe you'd prefer one of Grandpa's kimono instead?"

"Maybe _you'd_ prefer a smack on the butt?"

Kagome blew him a kiss before descending the stairs. Making sure the entry was clear of anyone who might require morning greetings, she darted down the hallway to Sota's room, where she was brought up short by the familiar tumbled mess… except for the neatly-made bed that revealed her mother's presence. "He's coming back," she said out loud, her voice shaking despite the brave words, and began searching for clean clothing.

After a few fruitless minutes, she lowered her standards in favour of 'relatively clean' items. _Sha likes the way __I__ smell, but I'm not so sure if that extends to Sota!_ Finally extracting a pair of track pants and zippered sweatshirt from a pile next to Sota's desk, she headed back upstairs.

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi called from the kitchen.

"Just borrowing some clothes for Sha," she replied. "Be right down!"

Her hanyou was waiting for her; as she entered the room, he dropped the blanket. "Oh, that's not _fair_," she grumbled, trying very hard to not blatantly ogle.

Sha gave her a slow smile. "It's all yours, girl," he rumbled, flexing a little simply for the effect it had on her scent before reaching for the clothing. Donning the sweatpants, he commented that Sota was taller than he thought, since the garment was just shy of his ankles, then arched an eyebrow at the dark hoody's elaborate dragon graphic coiling up one sleeve and across the shoulders before shrugging into it. "Your brother must be _swimming_ in this thing, if it fits me." Flipping up the hood, shoving his hands in his pockets and adopting a slouching posture, he asked, "How do I look?"

Kagome tore her eyes away from the toned torso framed by the open front and examined the two bumps wriggling madly under the thick hood. "Like you've trapped a couple of mice on the top your head." His full-throated guffaw startled her, but she stepped closer anyways to zip up the jacket to a more socially-acceptable point just below his collarbone. Tapping the central _magatama_ of his concealment anchor, she asked, "Shouldn't you reactivate this?"

"When I have to leave the grounds," he answered easily, tugging down the hood and pulling his hair free to cascade down his back. "There won't be anyone around today except for guardsmen." Hefting the Tetsusaiga, he slipped his arm around her waist. "Now we have to behave ourselves," he grouched, kissing her again before escorting her out the door and down the stairs.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

In the hallway, they were confronted by a striking tableau. Sesshiro stood between his two sons, his silver-trimmed armour, white kimono and _hakama _acting as a visual counterpoint to their all-black outfits. Tenmaru appeared to be describing how he had rescued Kagome, complete with vigorous hand gestures; a tattered length of vivid red silk fluttered from his fingers. "Is that your _obi_?" Kagome asked, coming forward to examine the stained fabric.

"The recovery crew found it," he answered, rolling it up and stuffing it into his sleeve.

Collecting herself, Kagome bowed to Sesshiro. "Good morning, Elder Brother."

"Sister," he returned, inclining his head.

Tsugane and Tenmaru exchanged smirks. Bowing in unison, they loudly chorused in pre-school tones, "Good morning, Unca Sha and Auntie 'Gome."

Sha curled his lip. "Brats."

Kagome's attention was caught by movement inside the _tatami_ room. A shadow flitted across the shoji; assuming it was her mother setting up for breakfast, she said, "Excuse me," and opened the sliding panel. "Good morning… oh! _Miss Buyo_!" Charging past her mother, who was indeed laying out the tea cups, bowls and chopsticks, Kagome dropped to her knees next to the cat-youkai's futon. "Are you feeling all right?"

Propped up with pillows, Buyo smiled gamely. "Yes, my lady. Still somewhat stiff in the shoulder, but _very_ happy to be alive."

Kagome leaned forward, impulsively wanting to hug the cat-youkai, but then retreated, not sure if she would be overstepping a boundary or three. Buyo's smile widened, and she opened her arms in clear invitation. The young woman eagerly took her up on the offer, but was careful not to squeeze too hard.

"Thank you, my lady," Buyo whispered in her ear.

"I'm _so_ glad," Kagome responded. "I was afraid I'd hurt you…."

"Would ya quit getting' your cat-stink all over her?" Sha demanded testily.

Buyo arched her eyebrows at the bristling hanyou as she released Kagome and bowed her head to the young woman. "I am sorry that I could not prevent Lord Sota's abduction."

"You were out cold with enough _shouki_ in your body to fell an elephant," Tsugane interrupted. "That was _our_ fault for not keeping better track of all those _yakuza_."

Yayoi coughed lightly as she bustled past with the rice cooker in one hand and a covered tray in the other. "Will you join us for breakfast, Lord Nishiki?" she sweetly enquired, when it appeared that the taiyoukai intended to absent himself. "I used Mrs. Nishino's recipe for saké-glazed grilled salmon."

The tip of Sesshiro's _youki_-generated fur twitched once. "Thank you," he intoned, and took the place of honour at the table in Genma Higurashi's absence.

When Kagome hesitated to leave her side, Buyo gave her a little poke and indicated the covered soup bowl and tea cup resting on a wooden tray. "Go ahead… I have already eaten."

Weaponry laid aside and armour loosened for comfort, the male members of the House of the West ranged themselves around the table. Out of habit, Kagome was about to seat herself next to her mother, but a plaintive look from Sha had her hastily changing to the cushion beside him. Yayoi served the food, tea was poured, and they settled down to eat. "The grilled fish is _excellent_, Mrs. Higurashi!" Tsugane enthused after his first bite.

"Thank you; I might try a touch of grated ginger in the glaze next time," Yayoi commented. Around the table, she noticed that all the dog-youkai flinched. Setting that observation aside for the moment, she decided to address other concerns first. "Do you truly mind if I call both of you by your first names?" she asked the two young hanyou. "Our introduction… or, re-introduction… last night was a little precipitous."

"Not at all, ma'am," Tenmaru immediately replied, since Tsugane was still chewing. "It is much simpler than referring to both of us as 'Mr. Nishiki'."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and gracefully bowed to Sesshiro. "Thank you _very_ much for the protection you and your family have extended, my lord."

Buyo spoke up from across the room. "The enemy we face is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants, Lady Yayoi. Lady Kagome is in grave danger."

Yayoi nodded slowly, pursing her lips. "I have a question…."

"Just one?" Tsugane inquired cheekily.

The woman started, then laughed and shook her finger. "Give me time… I'll catch up!"

Tsugane flicked his ears in reply, and the movement seemed to derail her thoughts when she continued to gaze at the top of his head. "Your question?" he finally prompted.

"Oh! Er, how old are you?"

"I'm just over 500 years old, Brother here is a mere babe of 300, while Uncle has clocked over eight centuries and Father over ten," Tsugane replied, grinning when her jaw dropped. "Why do you ask?"

"My goodness!" Yayoi fanned herself with a napkin. "I used to dream about beings that looked very much like you… silver hair, facial markings, golden eyes… and now I wonder if I may have glimpsed one of your kind when I was a child."

"It _is_ possible," Sesshiro allowed while Sha's attention remained determinedly focussed on his meal.

"I think I need more tea," the woman decided, then thought of something else. "Is Mrs. Nishino a dog-youkai as well?"

"Yes."

"That would explain the _very_ subtle seasonings in her recipes; I suppose I'll leave out the fresh ginger, then?"

Amid the chorus of agreement from around the table, Kagome quietly asked, "What's the plan today?"

The taiyoukai set aside his chopsticks and folded his hands in his sleeves. "We cannot formulate a response until we see Naraku's demands. Until then… we must wait."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

A thin shaft of brightness crept across the floor of the dank cell, reaching through the gloom to touch the filthy cheek of the young man dozing fitfully against the far wall. Sota stirred and waved his hand as if at a circling fly in a effort to ward off the light, then winced as the multiple cuts on his body complained. Blinking slowly, the teenager took stock of his surroundings. _Damn. What's taking them so long to find us? I figured that Sha would've ripped this place apart by now._

The warm body curled against his side let out a little cry of fear before a dark head popped up and looked wildly around their prison. Sota's smile was a little lopsided due to the dull ache in his jaw, but he did his best to appear reassuring when Karin's frightened gaze came to rest on him. "We survived the night, Miss Mifune. It won't be long until we're rescued." She brushed her hair out of her eyes, and there was just enough light for him to see the livid bruising on her cheek and throat. "_What happened_?" he demanded in horror.

Karin tried to moisten her dry mouth. "After that one took you… Mr. Hitomi came calling."

"_Bastard_."

"He… he's not human, Mr. Higurashi! H-he has _t-tentacles_," she whispered, her teeth chattering.

"I know… I've seen them," Sota growled, mentally dismembering the dark hanyou.

"Y-you have?"

"He's after my sister, remember?" When Karin began crying softly, Sota awkwardly patted her shoulder; she huddled closer, so he slid his arm around her and gave her a comforting squeeze.

After a little while, she sniffled, "W-where do you think we are?"

"Judging by the stink, near the waterfront. Bet that he chose this location because the smells would make it harder for the dogs to track us."

"You mentioned 'dogs' last night...."

_Shit. I think I'm about to open a barrel-sized can of worms._ "Miss Mifune, do you believe in youkai?"

"Youkai? They're fairy tales… aren't they?" Staring at Sota's solemn expression, she gulped. "You mean… Mr. Hitomi…?"

"He definitely isn't human, as you pointed out." Leaning his head back against the wall, he added, "Neither is my brother-in-law."

"Your sister is _married_ to a youkai?" Karin asked in disbelief.

"A hanyou, actually. His mom was a human and his dad was a youkai." Cracking a grin as he glanced down at her, he said, "Sounds pretty insane, right?"

She peered up into his face. "A-are you…?"

"I'm human," he confirmed. "But wait'll you see Sha in action; he's awesome!"

"Do youkai have more sensitive noses? Is that why you said it'll be hard for them to find us here?"

"They're dog-youkai…."

"Your sister married a _dog_? That's _gross_!"

Sota laughed outright at Karin's scandalized reaction. "He looks like a human, except that he has puppy ears, silver hair and golden eyes."

She frowned. "I've never seen anyone that looks like _that_, except in a manga!"

"He usually wears a concealment spell to blend in."

The girl bit her lip. "Should you really be telling me all this?"

"By the time all of this is over, you'll have seen some more pretty weird stuff, so I figure that you have a right to know."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The morning was spent cleaning up the inside of the house while repair work carried on outside. A crew came to replace the window in Yayoi's bedroom as well as pry pieces of metal and chunks of glass out of the walls. The bed was moved out into the hallway and the damaged _tatami_ mats pulled up, clearing the space for the workers.

Sha helped Kagome tidy up her room, mainly so that he had an excuse to remain close to the young woman. However, her proximity wasn't enough to calm the tension building inside him and as the morning wore on, he found himself becoming increasingly short-tempered.

"Go bark at somebody else," Kagome finally snapped when he blasted the crew over the cluttered state of the corridor.

Instead of punching the wall, he banged his head against it. "I'm not good at this waiting shit."

Slender arms wrapped around him from behind as Kagome pulled him backwards across the hall into her room. "This is exactly what Naraku is hoping will happen," she whispered into his shoulder. "We have to relax."

He twisted around and pulled her tightly against him, then left her dazed with an aggressive kiss. "My _preferred_ method of relaxation would involve a lot less clothing," he purred in her ear, "but _that_'s out, so maybe I'll go beat up on the brats."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Despite the Shrine being locked down, Mrs. Higurashi had other ideas; just after lunch, she persuaded Sesshiro to assign her a guard so that she could visit Genma. Upon overhearing the conversation, Kagome immediately wanted to go, too, since she felt somewhat responsible for the old man's current condition. There was an irritated noise at her shoulder; turning to Sha, she added, "Please?"

The hanyou was clearly reluctant even as he began removing his concealment anchor to re-set the spell. "I just _know_ that Naraku is gonna show up with his shopping list while we're gone."

"We'll phone you," Tsugane promised. "It isn't like Naraku is going to drop off the ransom note in person."

"Put the screws to any messenger!"

"He will more than likely use an innocent third party," Sesshiro commented.

"_Dammit_. We have to catch a break… and soon."

Tenmaru put away his cell phone. "The car will be here in fifteen minutes."

Kagome drooped. "It's only a couple of blocks to the clinic and it's a beautiful day… do we _have_ to drive?" The rest of the group stared at her before Sha caught hold of her arm and wheeled her out of the room. "_Ow_! Darn it, that _hurts_!" she protested, but bit off the rest of her complaint when the hanyou pushed her up against the wall and got right in her face.

"Yesterday, a walk to the grocery store ended with you falling off a fucking skyscraper," he snarled. "I _won't_ take that risk again."

Shock crossed her features and then she slumped. "I wasn't thinking… but you didn't have to be so rough," she mumbled.

"Control yourself, Lord Inuyasha," came a cool voice as Buyo stalked towards them.

"Stay out of this, cat."

"You are _not_ helping the situation." Turning her attention to Kagome, the cat-youkai said, "While I do not agree with his methods of persuasion, I _do_ agree with Lord Inuyasha's concerns."

Kagome wilted further. "All right. It's just… oh, never mind." Pulling away from them, she squared her shoulders. "I'll go get ready."

Concerned by the frustration and sorrow radiating from the young woman, Buyo asked, "My lady?"

Kagome flashed a wan smile. "I'm still not used to being caged."

As she headed up to her room, the two youkai couldn't look at each other. "Go back to bed, cat," Sha finally muttered as he wiped his hand over his face. "You gotta be at full strength tonight."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

At the clinic half an hour later, Sha briefly paid his respects to Genma, then left Kagome and Yayoi to get on with things. Nodding to a pair of giggling nurses on his way out of the room, he took up a position across from the door and smirked at his tall nephew. Tenmaru was trying to look inconspicuous in his traditionally-styled black clothing and failing badly; Sha flicked a glance over his own borrowed outfit and commented, "The staff probably thinks that you're some kind of re-enactment freak."

"I'd feel better with my armour," the younger hanyou muttered, checking to make sure that his short sword and baton were securely hidden inside his clothing. Raised voices from inside the room had them both snapping to attention.

"Why aren't you in class, Kagome? You can't afford to fall behind in your studies!" Genma querulously demanded.

"I'm, er, on my honeymoon, Grandpa."

"It would be better to wait until Golden Week for such frivolity," the old man wheezed.

"Yes, Grandpa," Kagome sighed. In the corridor, the two hanyou rolled their eyes.

"I expect that Sota is at school… at least _one_ of my grandchildren has their priorities straight!" Genma tetchily observed.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

When the door to their cell creaked open in the early afternoon, Karin let out a frightened scream and clung to Sota; he protectively wrapped his arms around her and snarled over her head at the two figures silhouetted against the light.

"_Awww_… isn't that _cute_, Ren? Look, he's baring his teeth at us!"

Two square packages were tossed in their direction. "What the hell are these?" Sota demanded as the plastic-wrapped parcels skidded across the dirty floor.

"_Bento_," the falsetto voice chirped. "Something to keep you going until the show starts!"

"You expect us to believe you haven't doctored them?" the teen sneered, kicking away the closest food container.

"Hitomi wants you both awake and screaming, sweetie… trust me." He leered unpleasantly. "Eat up, kiddies, because we can't afford to miss the boat!"

A few moments after the door slammed shut, Karin whimpered, "I haven't eaten since yesterday, but I don't think I'm hungry."

"Me neither, but in the off chance that I have a shot at that asshole later, I'll take the risk." Releasing the girl, Sota forced his injured body to move and retrieved the _bento_ boxes. Carefully examining the plastic wrap for signs of tampering before passing one to Karin, he said, "These come from a train station."

"Do you think he was serious about a boat? Where do you think they're taking us?" she asked as she peeled back the plastic.

"Who knows… but we might have a chance to escape," he replied, cautiously nibbling at a few grains of rice.

The girl snapped apart the disposable chopsticks, a pensive expression on her face. "Even if we survive today, things aren't ever going back to normal, are they?"

"Not likely."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Sir! Delivery for you!"

Tsugane keenly assessed the uniformed courier as he crossed the courtyard in response to the guardsman's summons. _Human… no, a hanyou, but of highly-diluted youkai blood. Might as well __be__ human, with a low level of __youki__ like that. _ "Yes?" he asked, relaxing his stance.

The petite courier touched the brim of her cap with a gloved hand as she straightened up from her bow and proffered a large, plain manila envelope. "Mr. Nishiki?"

"One of them."

"Oh! Er, it just says 'Mr. Nishiki', so I s-suppose it doesn't matter which one signs for it," she stammered, immediately flustered.

Tsugane smiled charmingly as he scrawled his signature on the electronic screen, but only succeeded in making the young woman shyly duck her head. She hastily bowed again before the bemused guardsmen escorted her towards the staircase; on the top step, she briefly looked back with what the two interpreted as an appreciative expression aimed at their handsome young lord and smirked at each other over her head.

As the trio disappeared from sight, Sesshiro efficiently slit open the envelope and extracted a much smaller white one. Turning it over, he emitted a truly ferocious snarl that caused all the nearby troopers to leap backwards several feet.

"Father? Don't melt it!" Tsugane yelped as the paper began to smoke.

"That 'woman' was Naraku," the taiyoukai hissed, displaying the note scribbled on the front.

Tsugane edged close enough to read aloud, "'_It was a pleasure seeing you again, Western Lord'_. Shit!_"_ Whirling around, he raced towards the _torii_ gate, with a dozen guardsmen hot on his heels.

"Halt." That single, icy command brought all of them to a screeching stop.

"Father?"

"He is a shape-shifter; pursuit is pointless." As the troopers trailed back to their positions or hastened to inform their just-returned fellows that they had been in the company of the notorious Naraku, Sesshiro withdrew a folded piece of cardstock and quickly scanned the note.

"Well?" Tsugane asked.

"The rendezvous point is Mount Mihara."

"Uh… where?"

"Oshima Island, to the south of Tokyo."

A tiny bell rang inside Tsugane's memory. "Oshima Island… isn't that where…?"

"Yes." The taiyoukai abruptly handed his son the note and tapped the upside-down envelope over his palm.

Before Tsugane had a chance to read the missive, a sudden whirlwind of _youki_ sent him tumbling; when he regained his feet, he cringed before the reddened eyes and predatory facial features of his sire. "Father…?" In answer he was tossed something very small and dark, bound with thread. _A swatch of hair?_

"The fool is taunting me," Sesshiro growled in a bass rumble as he brought his _youki_ back under control.

Carefully tucking the poignant reminder of Miss Mifune into his kimono, Tsugane turned his attention back to the note. "'_Bring the Shikon miko and the Shikon-no-Tama'_… well, _duh_… huh?" Frowning, he carefully re-read the postscript. "Oh, crap; Uncle's _not_ gonna like this!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"_How_ could you let him slip through your fingers?" Sha roared, clenching his fists so tightly that his concealed claws cut into his palms.

"His aura and his scent completely fooled me… he came across as perfectly ordinary," Tsugane repeated from where he sheltered behind Kagome.

"_Fuck it all to the fifth fucking hell_!"

Mrs. Higurashi arched her eyebrows, but forbore commenting on Sha's profanity. Instead, she exchanged wry looks with Buyo as they watched from the relative safety of the kitchen as the tempest raged inside the _tatami_ room.

"Even if we had seized him, his minions are undoubtedly under orders to immediately slaughter the hostages upon a pre-arranged signal. It was not worth the risk," Sesshiro pointed out with deceptive mildness. Sha snarled viciously as he crossed his arms on his chest and glared at the floor.

In the lull, Kagome slowly looked up from the note. "It says here '_the Shikon miko __and__ the Shikon-no-Tama'_… it's as if he doesn't know that it's inside me." Chewing on her lip as she thought, she finally added, "That's unlikely, though, because Abihime targeted my chest _after_ she spoke to him."

Sesshiro's gaze turned bright yellow. "Her choice could still be a coincidence; this may be an opportunity."

"How can we exploit it? Once he figures out where the Jewel is, it'll be the two-for-one deal of his dreams!" Tsugane protested.

"We have an additional problem," Tenmaru piped up.

"Oh, goody," Sha huffed sarcastically.

"Tonight is the New Moon."

The eldest hanyou stared at the youngest before unleashing a truly hair-curling tirade that only ended when he stormed out of the house, slamming the foyer door hard enough to rattle the teacups.

In the silence that followed, Kagome gave Tenmaru an enquiring look. Shrugging apologetically, he said, "All hanyou have a night or day when they lose their youkai power and become completely human. It coincides with the moment of their birth, which is the time of ultimate weakness. Uncle was born during a full lunar eclipse, and is therefore vulnerable on the night that lacks a moon."

"Which means…?"

"The Tetsusaiga will not transform for him, and he lacks personal weaponry like fangs and claws."

"Oh, _no_! But… why did it seem to be news to Sha?"

Tsugane shook his head. "He _always_ forgets. It just isn't as big a deal as it used to be."

Her curiosity piqued despite this new difficulty, Kagome asked, "How about you two?"

Tenmaru indicated the blue crescent on his forehead. "Mine happens to match my marking… the waning moon."

Smirking, Tsugane said, "Except when you look in the mirror, get it backwards and panic. _I_ howl at the 'waxing gibbous' moon."

"Which makes _you_ sound like a species of ape," Tenmaru retorted.

His elder brother sniffed derisively. Noting how the young woman's attention was drawn back to the note in her hand, Tsugane reached over to tap the postscript. "What do you think of _that_?"

Kagome hunched her shoulders. "I don't _want_ to think about it. He's obsessed."

'_My dearest Lady Kikyo… I look forward to our reunion. Wear white and red for me.'_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**


	14. Bloody Petals

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** I am thrilled to report that _The Price_ placed in several categories at the IYFG's recent 2nd Quarter voting. Thanks so much for your support!

**Bouquets** to my ever-patient and ever-encouraging betas, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverontheRose.

**Warnings:** Coarse language, physical and sexual violence.

**The Price**

**Chapter Fourteen: Bloody Petals**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome lay on her bed, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling, listening with half an ear to the noises of the workmen across the hall in her mother's room. _There's so much at stake, and I'm just an ordinary woman… how on earth did the first Shikon miko cope with the stress? Tsugane said that she had a younger sister, who must have been in constant danger of being used as a pawn, too._ The door to her room opened, then closed, and a moment later, a madly purring tortoiseshell cat jumped up onto the bed and strolled right up to the surprised young woman. "Miss Buyo?" In reply, the cat-youkai wormed her way under Kagome's arm and snuggled against her side, rumbling like a two-stroke motor the entire time. Chuckling softly, the young woman began scratching Buyo's ears. "Thank you," she murmured, allowing the familiar, comforting sound to lull her into sleep.

When Sha looked in an hour later, he was somewhat nonplussed to find his wife in the arms of another woman. Buyo treated him to a flat stare through her long bangs as she soothingly ran her fingers through Kagome's hair, but otherwise didn't react to his presence. The hanyou came into the room and stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded on his chest. Noting how protectively the feline youkai was curled around her sleeping charge, he said, "That's my job, cat."

Nodding agreeably, Buyo continued purring loudly. Sha watched the pair for a few more minutes, clamping down on the urge to crawl in beside Kagome and make it a cozy threesome. Finally, he scrubbed his hand through his bangs and muttered, "Stay with her; I gotta go pick up something." When Buyo arched an enquiring brow, he smiled grimly. "I hear Naraku's got a thing for red and white."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sota glared ferociously at the cheerful _yakuza_ as he trussed up Karin in an elaborate network of knotted ropes that extended from neck to knee. Tears streamed down the young woman's cheeks and she whimpered helplessly every time the restraints were tightened… which was far too frequently for the teen's liking. "You're a sadistic bastard," he spat.

The gangster, who wore a flamboyantly floral kimono over a _very_ short frock that showed off an indecent amount of leg, flashed him a bright smile. "Thanks for noticing, sweetie… although it was much more fun tying _you_ up." Blowing the teen a kiss, he leered, "By the way, I liked the way you screamed for me last night."

_Asshole._ Sota tested his own artistically-tied restraints even though he knew it was useless; his earlier attempts had merely scraped the strategically-placed knots across his wounded flesh. _He's good, dammit… oh shit, now what? _Grinning mirthlessly, the bald-pated _yakuza_ approached, producing a length of tightly-woven fabric from his pocket. There was a brief, futile struggle before the gag was forced between the teen's teeth and tied tightly. Sota was then slung over his jailer's shoulder, with a clear view of Karin being treated to the same 'finishing touch'.

While humming a jaunty tune that included the English words 'the love boat', the kimono-clad _yakuza_ hefted the young woman in a none-too-gentle fashion. "You're heavier than you look, girlie," he commented. "Your funeral urn will have to be extra-large to hold all of your ashes!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Wake up, my lady."

Dark lashes fluttered, but instead of obeying the summons, Kagome nestled closer. Clawed fingertips feathered through her bangs before tickling the crook of her neck. "I am astonished that you can sleep through the racket that those dogs are making."

Sighing deeply, the young woman gave up trying to stay unconscious. "What're they doing?" she asked, yawning, and picked up the sharp sounds of clattering wood along with the accompanying exchange of insults.

"I believe that they call it 'sparring'."

Rubbing her eyes, Kagome glanced at the clock… and sat bolt upright. "Oh, my gosh! Look at the time!" The young woman scrambled off the bed and began pulling apart her dresser.

"What's the rush?" Buyo mildly inquired.

"Tsugane said that Oshima Island is a two-hour ferry ride from Tokyo harbour, and we're at least an hour away from the pier!"

"Calm yourself, my lady. The Western Lord has set your departure for dusk."

Kagome frowned. "The note said that we had to _be_ at the rendezvous point just after nightfall!"

"The House of the West is not without resources, as I am sure you have noticed."

"Um… right." Pausing to consider the potential dramatics of arriving by jet helicopter, Kagome remembered to ask, "How are you feeling?"

"Fully recovered," Buyo answered, stretching languorously. "However, I have been asked to remain here tonight to watch over your lady mother."

"Do you know who is coming with us?"

"The Western Lord and his two pups."

"That's _it_?"

"Apparently it is a transportation issue."

_If we're using a helicopter, then limited numbers makes sense_. "Where _is_ Sha?" When Buyo pointed at the window, she went to look. "_Wow_." Gathering her jaw up off the floor, Kagome knelt before the glass pane. Resting her elbows on the sill, she propped her chin on her palm as she admired the scenery.

Under the Goshinboku, silver, red and black whirled and flashed as Sha faced off against Tsugane and Tenmaru. The three hanyou were moving so fast that at times they appeared as nothing more than trailing impressions of colour. For a brief moment, all three came to a stop, Sha burning brightly in flowing scarlet-red against his nephews' more sober tones. "He looks _amazing_," she breathed.

Buyo joined her at the window. "When their fire-rat robes are imbued with _youki_, they are stronger than any human-made armour," she commented. "Full youkai like myself and the Western Lord do not require extra assistance."

Kagome dreamily agreed, then had a very disquieting thought. "If Sha loses his powers on the New Moon, then are his robes affected as well?" When Buyo looked surprised, then nodded, she exclaimed, "He's completely helpless! Why is he even risking himself tonight? _Ouch!_" The young woman pouted at Buyo as she rubbed the spot on her forehead where she had just been soundly flicked.

"Do you honestly think that he would be content to remain here while you face mortal peril?" Waving off Kagome's mumbled reply, the cat-youkai noted, "You have time for a bath before dinner."

The young woman made a face. "I suppose a purification-style cold shower would be more appropriate since I'm supposed to be a priestess."

"Only if you so wish," Buyo said gently.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"You kids having fun yet?" asked a too-bright voice. "You've been _so_ quiet… such _great_ travellers!"

Sota rolled his eyes and tuned out the rest of the _yakuza_'s prattle as the van lurched again, an effect of the ferry they were on battling rough seas. _I'd hoped that these two morons would follow Hitomi up to the passenger deck, but no luck._ Testing his bonds for the umpteenth time while glaring at the conveniently muffling lining of the small cargo compartment, he fumed silently. _The assholes have thought of everything, dammit._

Casting a concerned glance at Karin, he noted that while her eyes were closed as if asleep, tears leaked out of the corners and dripped onto the rubber matting. Ever since they were loaded into this van and driven to what was obviously a public pier, the young woman had been unresponsive. Sota first suspected that she'd fainted from the strain, but then the small fearful noises began, quickly followed by tears.

_What's off the coast?_ Puzzling over their destination gave him something to think about instead of Karin's misery… not to mention ignoring the steady stream of celebrity gossip being read to the silent driver by his colleague. Hitomi had barely closed the van's passenger door when the dark-haired thug had sprawled across the rear seat and cracked his glossy magazine. Sota could see a floral-covered elbow sticking over the back of the seat above his head.

"Hey, Ren… I hear that this island is famous for its camellia festival! Maybe we'll get a chance to check it out tomorrow!" There was a pause, in which 'Ren' grunted noncommittally, and then the falsetto voice coaxed in a simpering tone, "I'll wash your back for you in the hot springs."

If the saliva-soaked gag hadn't added to the misery of his throbbing jaw, Sota would have grimaced. _Camellia festival? Could he mean the Izu Islands? Crap. That's at least a two hour trip… in __good__ weather._

When the van again bounced on its springs, courtesy of yet another wave, Karin let out a tiny, anguished sound. There was movement on the seat next to Sota's head, followed by a mocking voice. "Try not to puke, kiddies, because you'll just have to swallow it again."

Karin shuddered, whimpering; Sota ignored the pain and rolled awkwardly onto his side. Wriggling closer, he soothingly rubbed his cheek against the crown of her head. The young woman responded by tucking herself under his chin. "Awww…lookit the pair of puppies," their tormentor cooed. "Almost too cute to be put down."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

After a shower and a brief soak, during which she failed to concoct a strategy that didn't involve her coming into close personal contact with Naraku, Kagome reluctantly donned the red and white ceremonial robes that had been 'requested' in the ransom note. However, when Mrs. Higurashi offered to pull back her hair with the traditional paper ribbon, she demurred. "I'm only going so far to make Naraku's fantasy come to life."

Yayoi bit her lip before asking, "Why are you dressing like this at all, dear?"

"I don't want to give him any pretext for claiming that I didn't meet his demands." Turning around, she looked her mother in the eye as she collected her bow and quiver. "Sota's life is on the line."

"Naraku is fully aware of your capacity to destroy him with your arrows," Buyo interrupted, pointing at Kagome's equipment. "He will undoubtedly demand that all weapons be discarded."

"Having them makes me feel better, and he might not know that I can pump spiritual energy into my bow," Kagome answered, then shivered. "I really don't want to get any closer to him than I have to, but if that's what it takes to activate the Jewel…."

Buyo's fine eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. "_Please_ tell me that you are _not_ considering allowing him to actually touch you?"

"It's the best option I've come up with so far," the young woman admitted uncomfortably. "I might get hurt again, but he'll be fried."

The cat-youkai couldn't suppress her appalled reaction. "I assume that you will discuss this scheme with the others?"

"Yes… but Sha isn't going to like it."

"Understatement of the half-millennium," Buyo wryly observed. Kagome shrugged apologetically and headed downstairs to look for her straw sandals.

When the bedroom door closed behind her only daughter, Yayoi's composure crumbled; Buyo said nothing as she opened her arms to the distraught woman, but inside she was consumed by fear. _We could lose __both__ of the children_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Dinner was a subdued affair; Kagome tried to eat but ended up merely picking at her food. Sha didn't have much of an appetite, either, because he was not only dealing with his own fears, but he could easily detect his wife's unhappiness as well as his mother-in-law's distress. On the other side of the table, Tsugane and Tenmaru were patently agitated, the ears of the former twitching madly, while the tail of the latter restlessly thumped against the mats. Only Sesshiro appeared unperturbed, ingesting his meal with complete equanimity. When the too-quiet meal came to an end, Yayoi tried to offer more tea, but burst into tears instead.

"It'll be okay, Mom," Kagome immediately soothed, scooting around the table to hug the sobbing woman. "We're _all_ coming back, so keep the leftovers warm… you know Sota will be starving hungry."

Yayoi clung desperately to her daughter, terrified beyond reason that this would be the last time she could hold her. Kagome began to sniffle, her own nerves at the breaking point. Both women were on the edge of completely losing it when strong arms wrapped around both of them. "Everything will be fine," Sha murmured. Yayoi briefly loosened her grip on her daughter to include him in her embrace, her hand fisting in the back of his fire-rat jacket.

"You _must_ come home," she whispered brokenly. "_All_ of you!"

"You have my word that everyone will return alive," Sesshiro calmly stated as he set his teacup on the table. Lifting one of the two swords arranged neatly beside his cushion, he presented the ordinary-looking weapon across his palms, its neatly-wrapped hilt giving no hint of its origins. "Tenseiga has the power to retrieve one hundred souls from the depths of hell."

Yayoi's eyes were riveted on the gleaming promise of survival. "I-Is this true?" she breathed, hardly daring to hope.

"Yes," Sesshiro replied, managing to sound mildly annoyed at her disbelief even though his expression did not change.

Intrigued by this admission, Kagome considered his pronouncement. "A sword that can give back one hundred souls… the opposite of the Tetsusaiga."

"They were both forged from one of Grandfather's fangs," Tenmaru proudly confirmed.

Yayoi went very still. "The Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga," she slowly enunciated, "belonged to the youkai who was sealed to the Goshinboku five hundred years ago." Dark eyes searched Sha's face. "You are over eight hundred years old." He nodded warily as she considered the ramifications of this knowledge. "Is the unofficial version of our Setsubun story the truth?" she finally ventured.

"Yes," Buyo answered for the hanyou. When Yayoi looked at her in surprise, the cat-youkai bowed her head. "I witnessed the tragedy, my lady."

Tsugane stepped in. "The evil creature that entrapped Uncle and the first Shikon miko is the same one that we face tonight," he stated. "That is why Naraku insisted Auntie 'dress for him'."

"It's because he's a twisted bastard," Sha growled, releasing both women and sitting up straight. "Isn't that why he chose Oshima Island?"

"It appears so." In answer to the inquiring looks, Tsugane continued, "Father had taken Mother to view the camellia forests for which Oshima Island is rightly famous; Naraku attacked her but was driven off by the Bakusaiga's signature attack."

"Blast Fang?" Kagome asked curiously.

With notable gravity, Sesshiro displayed the second of his two swords and slid the blade out of the scabbard just far enough to reveal the distinctive geometric designs etched into the steel. "One blow creates a powerful chain reaction that increases the target's damage many times over." Replacing the weapon beside his cushion, he folded his hands into his sleeves and considered each of his audience members in turn. "Our enemy will more than likely demand that we disarm ourselves, but we will only give the _appearance_ of compliance."

"Pretty hard to hide my sword in this outfit," Tsugane grumbled, indicating his close-fitting armour and clothing.

"Unfortunately, you and Brother are the most disadvantaged of us all tonight," Sesshiro replied. "Neither of you are to risk yourselves except in support situations… do I make myself _perfectly_ clear?" he rumbled when Sha moved restlessly. "Tsugane, your speed may be called upon to rescue the hostages, but you will await my command before going into _any_ situation."

The dog-hanyou's canine ears drooped. "Yes, Father," he dutifully replied.

"Tenmaru, you will conceal your spear on your person for rapid deployment. Sister, I understand that you can imbue your bow with spiritual power?"

"Oh! Er, yes, Elder Brother," Kagome hastily answered. "It worked last night against Tsubaki's _shikigami_."

"Good. Naraku will assume that he is safe if he seizes your arrows, so he will not expect you to be a threat. I may call upon you to utilize this ability in battle tonight; Tsugane or Tenmaru, or both, will be your bodyguards. Do I ask too much of you, Sister?"

"N-no." At Sesshiro's questioning look, she lifted her chin and firmly repeated, "No."

"We'll take care of you, Aunt," Tenmaru assured.

"Because if we don't, Uncle will skin us alive," Tsugane chimed in.

Sesshiro considered the young woman. "Perhaps we can bluff Naraku into revealing whether or not he knows the Jewel's true location." Withdrawing his hand from his sleeve, he handed over a small lacquer box.

Yayoi let go of her daughter so that she could accept the package, and then peered over her shoulder as she opened it. "Is that supposed to be the Shikon-no-Tama?" she inquired, obviously surprised.

Sha sat forward, carefully inspecting the box's contents. "Not bad, Sess," he reluctantly admitted. "Looks pretty damn authentic to me."

Kagome lifted the golf-ball-sized chunk of rose pink stone by its chain. "This is the actual size of the Jewel?"

"Yep. At least, as near as I can remember from five hundred years ago," Sha replied in a too-neutral tone. _So much pain, so much bad luck… even though I know it isn't the real thing, it still gives me the willies!_

Oblivious to the hanyou's mood, Kagome chuckled softly. "Grandpa better reconsider ordering more of those key chains for the gift shop; they're _way _too small!"

"Better check the chain for length." Sha took the necklace from Kagome and looped it around her neck. When the chilly pendant dropped down inside her robes and came to rest between her breasts, she squeaked and evicted it, only to have her husband replace it. "It has to hang over your heart, so if the Jewel starts glowing, Naraku will think that it's the decoy."

"Higher… my heart isn't down _there_!" she hissed, blushing furiously while her nephews smirked.

Sesshiro brought the discussion back to the point. "How long can you conceivably contain the Jewel's energy if you are in physical contact with Naraku?"

Before she could reply, understanding dawned on Sha's face and quickly gave way to fury. "Oh, hell, _no_!" he thundered, protectively slinging both arms around his wife. "He isn't touching her!"

"Do you have an alternate plan, Brother?" Sesshiro inquired with deceptive mildness.

Sha's snarl abruptly lost most of its threatening tone and he muttered an expletive. Kagome had seen his transformation before, but this was a first for her mother. As silver changed to black and gold to violet, Yayoi watched in dismay as Sha's canine ears slid down the side of his head, lost their fur and became briefly pointed before taking on human shape. At her mournful look, the hanyou managed to crack a rueful grin. "They'll be back in the morning."

Mrs. Higurashi blinked once, then took his now-clawless hand in hers and murmured, "This must be so difficult for you."

"The timing couldn't be crappier," he tightly agreed.

"Do you suppose that Naraku deliberately chose tonight for this reason?" Tenmaru pondered.

"Doubt it, but it sure didn't hurt his plans." Sha noticed Sesshiro regarding him with a thoughtful look. "What?"

"We have three potential advantages of which the enemy is possibly unaware. One is our weapons' shield spells, and the second is the protective aura of the Tetsusaiga's sheath."

Sha arched his eyebrow. "You want Kagome to carry the scabbard? Won't that be a dead giveaway that we're up to something?"

The taiyoukai stifled a sigh. "Your wife is protected by the Jewel." His gaze sharpened as he prompted, "The Tetsusaiga's sheath has _another_ ability which may prove highly valuable."

The hanyou first scowled, then thought about it, and ended by smirking evilly. "You just might be onto something there, Big Brother."

Puzzling over Sha's sudden confidence, Kagome asked, "What are you talking about?"

"If I have the scabbard, Tetsusaiga comes when I call it."

"So even if the sword is taken away, you can get it back? That could come in handy!" Turning her attention to Sesshiro again, she inquired, "What is the other advantage?"

"My energy whip."

Tenmaru and Tsugane both loudly whooped. "_Excellent_, Father!" Tsugane crowed, grinning widely. "He can't demand the surrender of _that_!"

The two human women looked at each other, but before either of them could ask, Sesshiro steepled his long fingers on the tabletop and said, "We cannot formulate an exact plan of attack, due to the inherent fluidity of the situation, but we have the potential to take control if opportunity presents itself. Never forget that our enemy is as devious as he is implacable… but his confidence in his superior position may prove his undoing."

Rising to his feet, he announced, "It is time," and replaced his swords in his sash. Bowing to Mrs. Higurashi, he turned to leave. However, instead of immediately departing, he paused in front of the wall niche. After a few moments of reflection, he gravely bowed to the photograph of Mr. Higurashi before sweeping from the room.

"What was _that_ all about?" Kagome asked in a hushed tone.

"One father to another, I expect," Tsugane suggested as he stood up and stretched. "Let's go; our ride will arrive in a few minutes."

"I can't believe a helicopter is going to land in the courtyard," she muttered, then wondered why her nephews appeared highly amused.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The lights had been dimmed in order to 'preserve night vision', which only made the evening seem chillier than nerves were already making it. Kagome stood next to Sha, holding hands with her mother as they waited in the rapidly-cooling twilight. Tenmaru and Tsugane flanked Sesshiro, intently listening as their father murmured final instructions.

_I'm __so__ not ready for this._ Kagome laid her head on Mrs. Higurashi's shoulder and received a kiss on the forehead in return. A few steps away, Buyo lifted her chin and deeply sniffed the night breeze.

"Here it comes," Sha muttered, and held out a red-clad arm in front of the two women.

Kagome strained her ears for the thunk-thunk-thunk of rotors, but heard only the usual sounds of the surrounding city. "Which direction is it coming fro… _eeep!_" Despite Sha's reassuring presence, both she and Yayoi leapt backwards when something that was definitely _not _a helicopter landed in front of them.

"W-what _is _that?" Mrs. Higurashi quavered, peering around Kagome's shoulder at the strange bronze-coloured, twin-headed beast, its talons clicking loudly against the paving stones as it tossed its black manes and looked about itself with two pairs of piercingly yellow cat's-slit eyes. A very long, snake-like tail rasped across the pavement.

"Ah-Un," Sha supplied as the uniformed groomsman jumped down, bowed deeply and handed Tsugane the reins. "A flying horse-dragon hybrid."

"A-are we expected to ride it?" Kagome nervously asked.

"You could go with Sess instead," he answered, "but I prefer _this_ varmint to his _youki_."

"His _youki_?" In answer, Sha pointed at the taiyoukai and Kagome gaped at the iridescent cloud of energy coalescing around his feet. Tenmaru stood next to his father, the fur-like _youki_ curling outward to include him as it thickened into a platform, then lifted them into the air.

"C'mon, Auntie!" Tsugane called, beckoning from the animal's back. "Ah-Un might look fierce, but he's a real sweetheart."

Kagome squared her shoulders. _This is __really__ it. Gotta stay in control or it'll make things worse for Mom._ Kissing her mother and waving to Buyo, she moved towards Ah-Un while Sha said his own goodbyes. However, when the pair of massive heads swung towards her, she quailed. "Let him give you a sniff," Tsugane urged. "He won't bite."

She eyed the elaborate silver-gilt masks adorning both curious noses, but obediently held out her hands. Heated metal brushed her palms while she was inspected in duplicate by the clearly intelligent creature. "What are these muzzles for?" she asked, daring to pet one long neck and found the scaly hide to be warm to the touch.

"He breathes fire," her nephew nonchalantly replied, then grinned when she paled. Holding out his hand in clear command, he urged Kagome forward; Sha arrived in time to boost her up onto Ah-Un's back before she could formulate a protest.

When Kagome yipped and flung her arms around Tsugane, it was Sha's turn to complain. "Oi… leggo of the brat already," he grumbled as he swung up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I've got you."

"Yes, Auntie… please loosen your grip," Tsugane chuckled, tugging on her tightly-clasped hands. "I need to breathe now and then." When she reluctantly obeyed, he showed her the thickly braided straps attached to the saddle's high cantle. "Between these and Uncle, you don't have to worry." Sha pressed up firmly against Kagome's back and slid his free hand around her hip to take a firm grip on the cantle itself, leaving the straps for her.

"I-I've never even ridden a horse before," the young woman breathlessly admitted.

Tsugane drawled, "_Never_ would've guessed. Ever flown before?"

"N-no."

He looked over his shoulder. "I forgot the barf bags, so watch where you aim, okay?"

"Wait!" Mrs. Higurashi puffed across the courtyard, the medical case tucked under her arm, and attempted to hand it up to Sha. "Just in case Sota or Miss Mifune need treatment."

Tsugane smiled. "Great minds think alike, ma'am; there's already one in the saddlebag."

She took back the bulky box, biting her lip. "Be safe…."

"We will, Mom. See you soon." Kagome put on a brave face as Tsugane turned Ah-Un's heads into the wind and clucked to their unlikely mount. She barely had time to tighten her grip on the straps before they were airborne and the rush of wind drowned out both her small shriek and Mrs. Higurashi's final farewell.

As the two dots, one slightly brighter than the other, quickly vanished into the sky, Buyo padded across the paving and slipped her arm around Yayoi's shoulders. "The Western Lord always keeps his word," she murmured.

The woman wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I pray that the gods will protect them."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

They'd been travelling for some minutes before Kagome dared crack open an eye… and immediately wished she hadn't when her stomach flipped at the sight of the millions of pinpricks of light spreading below them. "_Ohhh_…!"

Sha's chin came to rest on her shoulder as his arm tightened around her waist. "Don't look down," he murmured in her ear. "Look towards the horizon and it isn't so bad."

"O-okay." Taking a deep breath, Kagome heeded Sha's advice and cautiously took another peek. "I see Mount Fuji!" she exclaimed, spotting a familiar silhouette in the distance, the snowy cap gleaming faintly in the star-shine.

"Yep. It's even prettier under a full moon."

Gaining confidence, Kagome leaned back into Sha's chest… at least as much as her quiver and bow would allow. He kissed her ear and gave her a gentle squeeze, the warmth of his body seeping through her clothing everywhere they touched. She was just beginning to feel comfortable when something occurred to her. "Why didn't you tell me about Tenseiga last night?"

Both hanyou twitched, but Tsugane kept quiet while Sha reluctantly answered, "Because sometimes the damned sword _doesn't_ do what Sess wants."

Kagome mulled over that unwelcome revelation. "It has a mind of its own?"

"You said that Tetsusaiga's aura kinda-sorta hugged you when it was released, like it was reassuring you, right? Tenseiga came from the same fang, so it has similar sentience… and it can choose between whom it saves and who it doesn't."

"Let's hope it's feeling generous tonight."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"They're late and I'm bored. Can I start cutting up these two?"

"Hold your tongue… and your sword… or you _will_ lose them both," Narakage Hitomi coolly replied as he scanned the evening sky. The _yakuza_ pulled a formidable pout, but he slung his sword over his shoulder and stalked off to lay waste to more of the straggling vegetation adorning the edges of the rocky plateau.

Sota and Karin were propped up back-to-back on the rocky ground, with the bald thug stoically standing guard. They had a good view of the blanket of flowers that covered the forested lower slopes of Mount Mihara and spread out from the base, the millions of red blossoms briefly appearing to catch fire from the sunset before darkening to a more sombre shade of dried blood in the twilight. _Let's hope that's not an omen!_

"They approach," Narakage suddenly declared, a satisfied smile curving his lips. The dark-haired _yakuza_ immediately trotted back to join his fellow in looming over the prisoners, then hopped on one foot and cursed as he dislodged a pebble from beneath his sandal-clad toes with a painted fingernail. Fishing inside his flowing sleeve, he retrieved lip gloss and used his sword blade as a mirror. Narakage cast the primping flunky a sharp look before musing aloud, "I wonder if the Lord of the West truly appreciates the setting of this confrontation?"

Sota frowned. _What the hell does __that__ mean? It can't have anything to do with Sis, so it must relate to Miss Mifune. _Tilting his head, he squinted up at the darkening sky. _S'gonna be hard to see anything. _Distant movement against the pale stars caught his eye and he looked hard, finally making out two small dark streaks heading straight for them. _Fighter jets?_ _Helicopter gunships?_ Watching the objects rapidly grow larger, he realized that they were too low and slow for the one and not noisy enough for the other. _What the…? _He jumped a little and swore through his gag when a gleaming sword blade casually nicked an exposed patch of skin on his arm.

"Just whetting the Jakotsutou's appetite, cutie," his dark-haired tormenter smirked, practically licking his glossy lips in anticipation. His colleague continued tossing and catching what looked like a keychain with a thick pin attached to it, his gaze locked on the incoming threat.

Sota wasn't sure what to expect, but he was completely taken aback by what landed on the edge of the plateau. _Wh-what the hell __is__ that thing?_ Karin's reaction was even more negative; her frightened shriek was plainly audible through the gag. _I __did__ tell her that she'd see some weird shit, but neither of us was prepared for this!_ The two-headed dragon-like creature danced sideways, revealing three familiar passengers. _Tsugane, Sis and Sha… that's Tenmaru, so the silver-haired guy in the fur boa must be Lord Nishiki. I wonder why Sha is wearing his concealment spell?_ He was immeasurably cheered by Kagome's relief that he was alive and nodded in response to her wave.

"Oh, _Ren_…! They're _gorgeous_! Just _look_ at 'em!" the dark-haired gangstersquealed, clapping his hands to his rouged cheeks. "Not a dog among 'em!"

_You obviously haven't noticed Tsugane's ears_, Sota thought with dark humour, then immediately wished that he had earplugs.

"_Look!_ _Look,_ Ren! That one has _puppy ears_! Oh my gods… _so cute_! I _must_ have them!"

"Who the hell is _that_?" Tsugane demanded in an undertone, curling his lip at the prancing _yakuza_.

"One of the two remaining Band of Seven members," Sha replied, keeping one eye on Sesshiro while trying to assess the condition of the hostages. "The whelp definitely took some damage but looks like he's spoiling for a fight… Miss Mifune, on the other hand…."

"_Shit_." Glancing at the cloud of _youki_ writhing around his father's tall form, Tsugane muttered, "Don't lose it yet…."

Shooting a quelling glance at his starry-eyed minion, Narakage stepped forward, his long white coat billowing in the wind boiling off of Sesshiro's _youki_. Spreading his arms wide in mock welcome, he exclaimed, "So good of you to come, Western Lord! You will _of_ _course_ drop your weapons… purely for the safety of my other guests, you understand." Gesturing to where the dark-haired _yakuza_'s sword was now menacing Sota's jugular and the bald one was painfully twisting a handful of Karin's hair, Narakage thoroughly savoured the helpless fury emanating from Sesshiro.

While Tenmaru and Sesshiro complied, Tsugane let loose a quiet stream of invective as he slid out of Ah-Un's saddle and laid his sword on the ground. Sha reluctantly followed his nephew's lead, drawing the blade and arranging it next to Tsugane's weapon while the scabbard remained in his waistband. "Stay put," he warned Kagome when she handed him her quiver and began to dismount. "If things get messy, I want you _out_ of here."

"_Both_ of your swords, Western Lord," Narakage coolly requested.

"What do you have to fear from a blade that cannot kill?" Tenmaru calmly asked while Sesshiro looked on in stony silence.

"A 'blade that cannot kill', eh? Then why carry it at all?"

"The Tenseiga is an heirloom from his lord father, the Inu-no-Taisho."

"How sweetly sentimental… and how unlike your reputation, Lord Nishiki. I must naturally request a demonstration."

Sesshiro drew Tenseiga, and Kagome immediately noticed that it had a wispy aura twining around the blade that was quite different from Tetsusaiga's. Tenmaru took a step back and fixed his eyes on his father; in a deliberately slow motion, the taiyoukai raised the weapon and viciously struck his youngest son a seemingly deadly blow as Kagome clapped her hands over her mouth to muffle her horrified scream.

Except that Tenmaru _didn't_ come apart in a welter of blood and gore. Instead, he merely dusted off his sleeves before addressing Narakage. "If that wasn't enough proof, perhaps one of your thugs would like to volunteer?"

"Fascinating," the dark hanyou replied, stroking his chin. "Very well; you may keep _that_ weapon… now take a long step back, gentlemen." When they unwillingly obeyed, Narakage jerked his head at the bald _yakuza_. "Ren, if you please?" While the gangster jogged across the plateau towards the dog-youkai, his employer inspected Sha's human appearance. _Why would he bother with his concealment spell when the rest…? Ah-ha! What a stroke of luck!_ "Dear Inuyasha… is this unfortunate timing for you? What a _pity_; I'm surprised that you even dared show your face here tonight!"

Sha ignored the taunt in favour of keenly watching Ren reach for Bakusaiga. _The shield spell should kick in and blast him to kingdom come… might get that opening sooner rather than later!_

Nothing happened. The _yakuza_ also collected Tenmaru's short sword without so much as a turned hair. In the stunned silence, Narakage purred, "You _wound_ me, House of the West… did you think I would overlook such a simple precaution as an anti-shield spell?"

Ren paused in front of Sha, his eyes flicking from the battered-looking Tetsusaiga to the empty scabbard retained by the defiant hanyou. "What's the matter?" Sha truculently demanded. "Scared of a human with a piece of hollow wood?" The thug silently considered him for a moment before his eyes flicked to Kagome's bow, then shrugged and added the two swords and quiver to his armload.

When the weapons were dumped in a clattering pile behind the hostages, Narakage cleared his throat. "Your cooperation is appreciated, gentlemen," he said, smiling guilelessly before switching his gaze to the young woman still seated on the back of the unlikely steed. "Shall we open the negotiations? What are you willing to exchange for this boy?" he asked, pointing at Sota.

"Don't fucking jerk us around, you bastard," Sha snapped. "The Shikon-no-Tama, right?"

"Ah, Inuyasha, how kind of you to make the offer… but isn't that the Lady Kikyo's prerogative?"

"_If_ Kikyo were still alive, it would be," the hanyou ground out. "But you haven't given _Kagome_ any fucking choice in the matter, either."

_Time for me to speak up… but, oh, gods… please let us all survive this!_ Kagome swallowed hard and called, "Give me my brother and I will give you the Jewel."

Narakage clasped his hands over his heart. "My dear, _dear_ priestess… your lovely voice is _such_ a welcome sound; I have missed it so." His melodious tone abruptly hardened. "Do I have your word that you will honour this exchange?"

"Y-yes. Of course," she answered, anxiously touching the pendant tucked inside her clothing, but for very different reasons than Narakage assumed. _I can't mess this up!_

"Then you may greet your brother before handing over the Shikon-no-Tama," he magnanimously declared.

"Thanks for the memories, cutie," jeered the dark-haired _yakuza_. Taking hold of the rope netting between Sota's shoulder blades, he shoved the teen face-down onto the ground to allow his colleague to lend a hand.

When Sota was yanked away, Karin let out a panicked cry as she toppled over. Through the tangled veil of her hair, her wild eyes plainly showed her fear at being left alone in Narakage's presence… and her uncertainty about her 'rescuers', despite Sota's earlier assurances. The dark hanyou smiled in satisfaction as her scent broadcast her heightened terror. _Even __better__ than last time because this girl is equally frightened of __them__ as she is of me!_

While Sota was dragged across the plateau, Narakage crouched down beside Karin. Stroking her hair away from her face in a parody of affection, he made sure that Sesshiro had a clear view of her bruises. "Such a lucky young lady, Miss Mifune, to have the Lord of the Western Lands himself here to witness your final moments," he murmured. When she flinched away from his touch, he roughly jerked on her hair. "Do you wish to know _why_ Lord Sesshiro Nishiki is interested in an insignificant human girl?"

Terrified noised leaked past the gag as he yanked back her head on a painful angle. Placing his lips next to her ear, Narakage whispered, "Do you believe in reincarnation, Miss Mifune?" then pulled back to smile darkly at the young woman. "_You_ were once known as the Lady Rin of the Western Lands, wife to the Western Lord and the mother of his sons." Her eyes unwillingly flicked to the three silver-haired figures silently watching her torment. "Yes, Miss Mifune… _those_ three dog-youkai are your family, and they are my sworn enemies." Moving in close again, as if he were giving her a tender kiss, he purred, "And _that_ is why you must die tonight; I have waited nearly five hundred years to take my revenge."

The gangsters dumped their angry burden onto the rocky ground, the kimono-clad one blowing kisses over his shoulder at Tsugane as he sashayed off. Sesshiro assessed the situation, then gave a curt growl, sending his two sons charging forward to retrieve the teen. Tsugane hauled Sota into his arms and rapidly backed away, Tenmaru screening their retreat, while Sha helped Kagome down from Ah-Un's saddle and extracted the medical case from the saddlebag.

"_Sota!_" Kagome exclaimed as her brother was delivered to safety, torn between relief that he was alive and consternation over his oozing injuries.

While Tenmaru efficiently sliced through the gag with his claw, Tsugane went to work on the elaborate bindings. "Figures that Naraku would have a _shibari_ freak on staff," the dog-hanyou muttered as he tackled the network of knots.

"Shouldn't you be with your old man?" Sha quietly asked, alert to Sesshiro's movements.

"We can hear him from here," Tenmaru muttered while Kagome fumbled with the medical case, her fingers strangely numb as she tried to organize ointments and bandages.

As soon as his arms were free, Sota caught hold of his sister's hands. "I'm okay, Sis." She looked him over, inspecting the spreading bruise disfiguring his jaw, at the dark circles under his eyes, at his blood-soaked clothing and the crusted wounds… and arched a sceptical eyebrow. "These are just scratches," he grinned crookedly. Dropping his voice, he asked, "So, what's the plan?"

"Rescuing Miss Mifune and killing the bad guys," Tenmaru answered.

"I was expecting something a little more… complex?"

Tsugane looked distinctly sheepish. "We're kinda making it up as we go along."

"I've been telling Miss Mifune how awesome you guys are," the teen grumbled. "Don't make me look bad!"

Sha lightly cuffed Sota's head. "Don't waste your time on this one, Kagome. He's _fine_."

The teen smirked, then stifled a pained yelp when his sister threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Hey, Sis… sorry that I worried you," he murmured. "Mom must be freaking out pretty good, huh?"

"Just a little," she answered with a watery smile as she sat back and wiped her eyes.

A high-pitched scream of pure terror snapped all of their attention back to Narakage's second captive, and Kagome couldn't suppress a shudder of her own when she saw the other young woman's plight. At some point her gag had been removed, and her shrieks echoed as she was dangled several feet above the ground by a tentacle wound around her body.

Sota scrambled to his feet. "_Bastard!_"

Kagome stood upright more slowly, a cold sensation in the pit of her stomach creeping through her muscles. "That _poor_ girl…."

"He beat her up last night while his minion worked me over," Sota snarled, clenching his fists. "_Damn him_!"

Several more tentacles snaked towards Karin; two wrapped around her ankles while a third slit through the rope netting. Two more spiralled around her arms as they were freed, and as the bindings fell to the rocks below, she was strung up in a painful-looking iron cross.

"Humans are such fragile creatures," Narakage mused. "If Miss Mifune's arms were to be bent back just the slightest amount… like _so_… and I was to let her drop several inches, her shoulders would be dislocated." Karin screamed as her arms were yanked behind her and then up, her body bending forward as her pinioned limbs were forced higher.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" Sota shouted, running towards Narakage with full intent. However, he hadn't taken more than three steps before Tsugane and Tenmaru were on him. "What the hell? _Why_?" he demanded, fighting them tooth and nail as they dragged him backwards.

"_Not yet_," Tsugane hissed. "Believe me, that rat bastard will pay an eternity for every single moment of her pain… but we didn't rescue you so that you could hand yourself back to him!"

The teen grudgingly accepted their logic even as he brushed off the brothers' restraining hands. "What's she to you, anyways?"

"She's the reincarnation of their lady mother," Kagome supplied when all three hanyou hesitated.

Sota's jaw dropped. "Seriously? That explains why the asshole grabbed her… but how can you guys let him torture her like this?" When there was silence, he curled his lip. "I think you need a better plan… oh, _hell_… what's he doing…? _NO_!"

Karin echoed his cry as more tentacles swarmed around her, slithering inside her tattered clothing and reducing what was left of it to rags. She was raised higher in the air, her arms twisted back down to bend her body outward, with the clear intent of giving Sesshiro an unobstructed view of her violation. The rubbery appendages roughly cupped and fondled her breasts while others worked their way into her panties.

The air shook with a sub-sonic command, and Tsugane launched himself across the plateau. A long, crackling lash of green _youki_ energy whipped through the air and severed the assaulting tentacles while a silver and black blur made the catch. Beside Narakage, the kimono-clad _yakuza_ let out a triumphant yell and swung his sword, the segmented blades reaching for the desperate dog-hanyou while more sharp-tipped appendages streaked towards them.

"Aunt! _Now!_" Sesshiro was already moving as Kagome was scooped onto Tenmaru's back as he took off towards the impending disaster. She nearly dropped her bow as she scrabbled for a handhold on his armour, but he didn't slow down. They were moving so fast that the wind of their passage made it hard to hear, but she could still plainly make out Sha's furious cursing. She hitched herself higher when Tenmaru shouted over his shoulder, "Use your bow against any tentacles that get past Father's whip!"

"Got it!" she managed to answer, even though her heart was in her throat.

"Nasty sword that charmer has," he commented when Sesshiro's attack sliced off the sharp ends of the tentacles but was itself sliced apart by the strange sword-blade as it cut off Tsugane's escape route and attempted to encircle him. Despite being repeatedly severed by the taiyoukai's whip, the sharpened ends of Narakage's appendages re-formed and dove in on the trapped dog-hanyou… until a glowing pink long bow slashed through the tentacles, turning the squirming flesh to ash.

A loud metallic crash and a spray of sparks beside Kagome announced the collision between Tenmaru's spear and the _yakuza_'s blade. He managed to deflect the razor-edged sword just enough to allow Tsugane to dive underneath and take off towards safety, but couldn't stop it from completing its trajectory and wrapping around both he and Kagome. As the sharpened metal whirled around them into a steely cocoon, he took a desperate swipe at the encroaching coils and managed to pin down a section. Grabbing Kagome around the waist, he fairly threw her out of harm's way as his spear splintered.

Sesshiro dove down from above and snatched up Kagome as he whipped his lash towards the enemy… only to have it deflected by a gleaming black barrier that was dropped as soon as the strike dissipated.

On the other side of the plateau, Tsugane pulled up with Karin clasped in his arms. "_Shit,_ this is _bad_… what?" he demanded.

Sota gave him a flat look as he peremptorily removed the virtually naked young woman from his grasp. "Got anything to cover her up?"

"Uh… there's an emergency blanket in the medical case," the startled hanyou answered.

"Let _us_ worry about Miss Mifune," Sha interjected as he fished out the silvery package and handed it to Sota. "_You_ concentrate killing that bastard."

"Er, okay…?" Tsugane said, still somewhat bemused, at least until Narakage spoke.

"Concealed weapons? I'm _shocked_, Lord Nishiki," the dark hanyou smirked. The segmented blade clicked ominously as the angry thug slowly pulled back on the hilt until they bit into Tenmaru's flesh, and it didn't take much imagination to figure out what would happen to the young hanyou if the multiple blades were retracted.

"_Stop it_!" Kagome struggled in Sesshiro's grip until he landed and put her down. Fixing Narakage with a fiery gaze full of loathing, the young woman said, "_I'm_ the one you want… the one you've _always_ wanted. Let him go, and I'll surrender to you." _Gods, I __really__ don't want to do this…! _Clawed fingers clamped down on her shoulder as Sesshiro steadied her resolve.

The dark hanyou gestured sharply, and the sulky minion released the tension on his blade. _Losing Miss Mifune… temporarily… is worth it for a chance at Kikyo's reincarnation!_ "The Shikon miko _and_ the Shikon-no-Tama? A very generous offer, priestess. Are you sure?"

"Don't mock me," she retorted bravely enough, although her knees began knocking under her flowing _hakama_ despite Sesshiro's reassuring presence.

"This is _not_ happening!" Sha groaned; Tsugane sympathetically gripped his uncle's arm.

"Ah, Inuyasha… you'll have to tell me which method of humiliation you prefer… spending centuries _thinking_ that your love had betrayed you, or _watching_ your love giving herself to me."

Sha bared his blunted teeth, but Tenmaru gave Kagome a speaking glance before calmly saying, "Aunt… please do not endanger yourself on my account; I'm not afraid to die."

_Tenseiga be darned…_ _I'm__ not willing to take the chance that it might decide that you're not worth bringing back!_ "Do we have a deal?" she reiterated, glaring at Narakage.

"Sis, you _can't_ be serious!" Sota protested in horror, unaware of the undercurrents.

"Would you rather see Tenmaru turned into a bloody pulp? _I_ wouldn't." Squaring her shoulders, she demanded, "Well?"

"How can I possibly refuse such a lovely volunteer? Release him," Narakage directed.

"_I'd_ rather have his brother's ears, anyways," the _yakuza_ sniffed. "They're _way_ cuter." The segmented blades fell away and Tenmaru stumbled backwards, leaving bloodied footprints behind. Sesshiro left Kagome's side to steer his wounded son towards the solemn group surrounding Sota, who was comforting a sobbing Karin.

Kagome also turned towards them, but was brought up short by Narakage's delicate cough. "I reserve the right to say goodbye to my family," she said icily, fighting to mask her growing fear with contempt.

"Very well… but do not keep me waiting for long," he said, infusing his tone with unmistakeable menace.

"You miserable fucker," Sha ground out as he arrived at Kagome's side and protectively wrapped his arm around her. "Why can't you just fucking leave us alone?"

"My _dear_ Inuyasha… Kikyo belongs to _me_; I've merely permitted you to _borrow_ her reincarnation," Narakage smoothly replied. "All those centuries ago, I allowed the demons to consume my broken body in order to gain another so that I could make her my woman."

"Then why did you kill her?" Sha snapped.

"An unfortunate miscalculation on my part; the darkness desired the Jewel and took control of my new body." Narakage smirked lasciviously as he blatantly admired Kagome's figure. "I have been given a second chance."

Sha felt his wife's shudder and had to force himself not to react, but he nearly drove his blunted fingernails into his palm. "We'll see about that," he threatened, but his defiance only made Narakage's smile widen.

"Come on," Kagome whispered tremulously, tugging on Sha's robes, and he tossed off a rude gesture as she led him back to their group. Lowering her voice even more, she said, "I like this even less than you do, but it's our best chance to take him off guard."

"_Fuck the plan_," he angrily hissed. "We can retreat _right now_ without risking your life."

"If we don't defeat him here, then we have to spend the rest of our lives wondering when he'll destroy our happiness. I'd rather be a brine shrimp than subject my family to that!" she fiercely retorted.

Sesshiro tore his gaze away from Karin and intervened. "Wisely _and_ courageously spoken, Sister," he intoned. Giving Sha a long look, he added, "Let us end this."

The hanyou gritted his teeth before bowing his head. "I _really_ don't fucking like this…."

In reply, Kagome rose up on tiptoe and softly brushed her lips against Sha's. He swept her against him and poured all of his conflicting emotions into a ferocious kiss that left her trembling. When he let her breathe, she could barely speak, but after a few moments she managed to rasp, "I want to be with _you_." His intense expression cracked, allowing her to glimpse the fear underneath and she nearly lost all of her remaining confidence in the plan on the spot, but she managed a weak smile. They kissed again, a tender, lingering contact that was reluctantly broken. _This might be the last time… I can't think like that, or I'm as good as dead!_ When Sha unwillingly released her, she handed him her bow and a brave smile. Stepping away and facing the rest of the group, she squared her shoulders. _Okay… refocus… gotta make this sound good._

Approaching her brother, she said, "Tell Mom and Grandpa that I love them, okay?"

"Sis, this is _insane_!" he protested.

Lightly touching his grimy cheek, she whispered, "Trust us, okay? I know what I'm doing."

Sota shook his head, his worried gaze never leaving her eyes. "Miss Mifune? This is my sister, Kagome Higurashi," he finally said, directing the introduction to the young woman huddled in his arms. Habit overcame fright, and Karin clutched the rustling silver blanket around her and bobbed a small bow.

Smiling gently, Kagome assured, "These Nishiki guys might look a little scary, but they're really a bunch of puppy dogs, Miss Mifune. Please give them a chance."

Bowing to the girl and then more formally to Sesshiro, she noted that he was in a convenient position to restrain Sha. As she turned away, a grim-faced Tsugane responded to another low-voiced command and left off bandaging his brother to fall into step beside her. "Miss Mifune is going to need plenty of support to get over all this," Kagome observed. "I hope she recovers quickly."

Glancing ahead, to where Narakage positively radiated smug satisfaction, he murmured, "You, too. Good luck, Mishi." Bowing deeply, he halted at the half-way point, leaving her to cross the rest of the distance alone.

Kagome took a deep breath and continued towards Narakage. With every step, her resolve faltered, her heart rate increased and her stomach knotted itself even tighter. _I __can't__ lose control now; everything hinges on him not realizing what I'm up to until it's too late. No matter __what__ he does, I have to make him believe that he's won._

"Stop right there," Narakage abruptly directed when she was about fifteen feet away. "Let me admire you, my dear." Raising his voice, he called, "My thanks, House of the West, for making this moment even possible." Smiling at the young woman in a way that made shivers go down her spine, he leered, "Shall we become better acquainted, _Kikyo_?"

As multiple tentacles rushed towards her, Kagome's knees gave way and she _screamed_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N:** In the IY manga, Sesshomaru tossed Tokijin after it broke in chapter 407 and was left with an upgraded Tenseiga as his sole weapon. In the lead-up to the Final Battle, he regained his missing arm and the sword Bakusaiga appeared at the same time. Check out IY chapter 518, page 16 on _OneManga_ for a close-up look at the shiny!

For the purposes of this fic, the Tenseiga remains 'Heaven's Sword' only.

**Random trivia: **

Oshima Island is famous for the things mentioned in the chapter (wild camellia forests, hot springs) as well as black sand beaches. It's a popular tourist destination from November to March, when the camellias are in bloom.

Mt. Mihara – the volcanic heart of Oshima Island is famous as the site of Godzilla's entombment in the 1984 film _Return of Godzilla_ that rebooted the iconic monster movie franchise in Japan.

_Shibari _– 'artful binding' is used to decoratively secure packages… and other items.


	15. Parting Shot

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** Things get a little rough in this chapter, so if depictions of sexual assault disturb you, skip the first half.

**Bouquets** to the ladies who generously give of their time and opinion to CMA this fic; Forthrightly, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Warnings:** Coarse language, sexual and physical violence, nudity

**The Price**

**Chapter Fifteen: Parting Shot**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

As the tentacles whirled around her, Kagome fought to regain her composure. _The __jyaki__ pouring off of him is __suffocating__!_ A thin tendril broke away from its fellows and caressed her cheek; as she batted it away, the rest closed in. The sensation of being wrapped in warm, velvety ropes wasn't physically unpleasant, but dread filled her anyways. _I know what these things can do!_ As they lifted her into the air, she let out a sharp cry as she was jabbed in the hip. The sharpened tentacle, its reddened tip wetly gleaming, coiled back towards Narakage.

Almost immediately, an unpleasantly familiar chilling sensation began coursing through Kagome's veins, moving from the site of the wound down her limbs and throughout her body. She couldn't check her skin for visual proof, but the enervating cold was similar enough that her heart sank. _Oh, no! This is like Tsubaki's curse! I won't be able to control my body!_

Narakage grasped the bloodied tip between thumb and forefinger, turning it this way and that before inhaling deeply. He ran his tongue through the fluid and savoured its taste like a fine wine. "Your blood practically _sings _with power, dear Kikyo. It did before, but it is so much more _now_." Tilting his head to the side, he contemplated his captive for a long moment, clearly at war within himself while ignoring the furious shouts from their audience. "My intention was to make you my woman," he murmured, "But this power is possibly even more attractive… can the Jewel make both wishes possible?" Contemplating this idea, he languidly sucked the appendage clean before it vanished back inside his torso.

_Darn it, I'm not close enough to fry him! At this distance, only these tentacles will be destroyed, and he apparently has an unlimited supply!_ She cast a desperate glance towards Sha just as the heavy sensation of not being able to breathe settled in her chest. _The Jewel…! It's being tainted! _

"So quiet, lovely Kikyo? I can tell by your expression that you recognize what has happened," Narakage smirked. "Yes, my dear… I have taken your blood and injected you with the barest touch of my _shouki_. Your body is now mine to do with as I please." The flexible cradle turned her towards their dumbstruck spectators as its warm flesh slithered inside her clothing.

"_NO_!" While her body might have been paralyzed, Kagome found that she could still scream. Her kimono were torn off her shoulders, her bra sliced away, and her exposed breasts flaunted just before her hands moved of their own accord. _Oh, gods…! He's __sick__!_ Kagome's cheeks burned crimson with humiliation as her unwilling hands roughly gripped and pinched hard enough to leave marks. _I can't let this go any further!_ Struggling vainly to regain control, the young woman tried to call upon the Jewel as her _hakama_ were yanked off of her hips.

A tiny pink flare was extinguished as quickly as it appeared. _Wh-what…?_ Truly panicking now, Kagome tried again and was horrified by the black energy wreathing her body. _It's __just__ like Tsubaki!_

"What is this?" Narakage hissed. Her wandering hands stilled as her tormentor spun her back to face him. Retracting his appendages, he brought her close enough to glare at the false Jewel swinging back and forth across her bare chest. Darkness suddenly curved overhead as a barrier erupted into existence, the intense _jyaki_ battering Kagome's consciousness. As Sesshiro's energy whip crackled against the barrier, a slim tentacle hooked the pendant, jerking her head forward. The dark hanyou inspected the bauble from all angles, until a cruel smile ruined his mouth. "What a _pathetic_ attempt to mislead me." Crushing the rose quartz to dust in his fist and winding the necklace around his fingers until it bit into her throat, Narakage snarled, "_Where_ is the Shikon-no-Tama?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"_Damn him_!" Sha roared, clenching his clawless fists as he watched his naked wife and Narakage disappear inside the opaque barrier.

"She'll fry him before he can do anything else… right?" Tsugane asked uncertainly.

"She _tried_… you saw that black light! The Jewel's corrupted, just like it was last night when Tsubaki cursed her!" his uncle bitterly snarled.

"We need the Hijinsaiga," Tenmaru exclaimed.

"No _fucking_ shit, but we can't wait until dawn!"

"Now is our chance to deal with his lackeys," Sesshiro pointed out, just as the two _yakuza_ broke out of a huddle and faced them.

"_Whoo-hoo_! Come to mama, puppy-boy!" the dark-haired gangster whooped, shedding his floral kimono and dashing across the plateau in his white silk frock, apparently intending to close the range for his sword.

"Rushing to his own destruction," the taiyoukai murmured, rising into the air. "Tenmaru, protect the humans… Tsugane, retrieve the weapons; I will cover you."

"Yes, Father!" the hanyou answered, dropping into a crouch before charging across the distance, choosing a curving trajectory to cut behind Narakage's shield barrier and use it for his own protection.

Sha pulled the sheath out of his waistband and extended it, then smiled grimly as opportunity presented itself. The fast-moving _yakuza_ had inadvertently lined himself up with the empty scabbard. _Dunno if Tetsusaiga will go for this, being as the freak is human, but it's worth a try!_ "Tetsusaiga! Come to me!" The wooden sheath vibrated in his hand, and he repeated the command as the gleeful gangster put on the brakes as Tsugane tore past him.

"Where do you think you're _going_?" the thug cooed, whirling his blade over his head as he turned, tracking his target. "I'm gonna make you howl for me, handsome… _urk_!" Staggering from the impact, he looked down in surprise at the tattered hilt protruding from his ribs. His painted fingers first patted the Tetsusaiga's _tsuba_, then brushed at the vivid stain saturating the fine silk. "This was _designer_, asshole," he mumbled thickly, his glossy lips turning scarlet red as he toppled over, his sword clattering to the rocks. The twisting length gave a final undulation, like the frantic throes of a dying carp, before going still.

"Well done, Brother," Sesshiro commented from his position overhead. "Now, for the other…."

"_Shit!_" Tsugane leapt into the air as a small metal object skipped across the ground right into his path and exploded, sending chunks of molten metal and razor-sharp rock spraying everywhere. A second device arrived a split-second after the first and the hanyou narrowly avoided having his legs blown off by throwing himself into a desperate mid-air somersault. Peppered by shrapnel and bleeding profusely, partially deafened by the explosion, Tsugane stumbled into the path of a third grenade, but was seized by the scruff of his neck and dragged up into the air out of harm's way.

"_Incoming!_" Tenmaru shouted, helping Sha to shield Karin and Sota as yet another explosive bounced towards them.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome opened her mouth to lie, but it was already too late. An expression of unholy glee took hold of Narakage's countenance as he stared at the centre of her chest. Letting go of the necklace, long, white fingers caressed the blackened marking revealing the tainted Jewel's location, the burning heat of his touch at odds with the deathly pale colour of his skin. "It's _inside_ you," he breathed, then frowned. "How do I extract it, lovely Kikyo?" His fingertips sprouted claws, but as he lightly scratched her skin, he was distracted by the beading blood. Tears streaking her face, Kagome shuddered in revulsion as Narakage pulled her closer and slowly ran his tongue over her chest, lapping up the droplets. "So _delicious_," he purred. "Your blood is being contaminated by my _shouki_, and the Jewel by my _jyaki_. Soon, you will be completely and utterly _mine_." His breath was hot, his mouth even hotter when he abruptly fastened his lips over her nipple.

"_Don't touch me_!" she shrieked and managed to defy the darkness spreading throughout her body long enough to tear loose one arm. Her fist sputtered pink-tinged black energy and she punched Narakage in the side of the head. _Why is he still standing?_ She watched in consternation as the smoking damage to her captor's face repaired itself.

"_Bitch!_" Narakage icily snarled, smearing the ashes out of his eyes. His attention was momentarily caught by a series of explosions outside of the shield, but not long enough for Kagome to take advantage of this distraction. More tentacles wrapped around her, arching her back and winding so tightly around her limbs that she screamed from the crushing pain.

Narakage's face was suddenly right above hers. "How _dare_ you spurn my caresses, bitch!" he hissed, his expression distorted by rage. "I have waited for centuries for this! You were to rule at my side when I conquered the world!" His skin seemed to melt away, revealing a terrifying visage marked by curving, elongated fangs and multiple blood-red eyes. Several bony, jointed limbs erupted out of his torso and joined the tentacles in pinning her in place. All vestiges of humanity had disappeared in his fury, revealing instead a segmented, arachnid-like form. _**"Instead, little miko, you shall be the first I devour!"**_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sesshiro dove to the rescue, but Ah-Un acted first. The great beast knocked the grenade over the edge of the plateau with one sweep of his powerful tail before nimbly interposing his great bulk between the _yakuza _and his targets. As the explosion blew a hole in the slope below and started a minor landslide, the taiyoukai dropped Tsugane next to Sota and released the hybrid dragon's muzzles. "Time to earn your keep," he said to the creature, which responded by rumbling excitedly. Smoke began pouring out of both pairs of the animal's nostrils as Sesshiro assessed the gangster, who was rapidly loading what appeared to be a bazooka.

"Hurry, Sess!" Sha urged, his eyes riveted on the gleaming shield, imagining all too vividly what was being done to Kagome inside its impenetrable _jyaki_ wall.

Both heads tossing, Ah-Un eagerly bounded forward while Sesshiro sprang into the air. As the thug aimed the weapon, the dragon gave an unearthly cry and blasted an intense fiery jet directly at him, the flames licking at the muzzle of the bazooka.

Cursing the apparent attempt to set off the ammunition, the _yakuza_ dodged backwards and reset the aim… just before long fingers circled his neck and he was heaved off the ground. Dangling in the clawed grip of the implacable taiyoukai, he tried to scream as pure, unadulterated pain ate into his throat and the acrid stench of burning flesh filled his nose.

"Die," Sesshiro said calmly, pouring more poison into the man's body.

Desperation, or more likely a dying twitch, allowed the gangster to pull the bazooka's trigger with spectacularly messy results. The muzzle of the weapon had melted and folded inward from Ah-Un's fiery breath, effectively turning the bazooka into a pipe bomb. Ah-Un had already skidded to a stop and curled protectively around his charges on the other side of the plateau when it went off, sending chunks of flesh and metal flying. Above the chaos, Sesshiro coolly shook his clothing free of deceased _yakuza_, and turned his attention to the barrier.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Something spattered against the outside of the shield, drawing the inhuman creature's attention. _**"The fools have failed,"**_ he said in disgust. _**"However, the Western Lord has saved me the effort of exterminating them myself."**_ An energy whip circled the top half of the domed barrier as Sesshiro again tried to crack it open. _**"Persistent dogs,"**_ Narakage observed, _**"but my shield is impenetrable… and when I drop it after I have made my wish, they will **__**all**__** be my prey."**_

"You're planning to _eat_ them?" Kagome managed to croak. _He's an abomination!_

Turning back to his prisoner, Naraku's hellish breath nearly suffocated her as his nightmarish eyes narrowed speculatively._**"You must be quickly and irrevocably broken in order to complete the Jewel's corruption; Onigumo's lust for you can be put to use."**_

Kagome shrieked as her legs obeyed Narakage's will and parted without help from their squirming bonds. _**"Perhaps this face is more to your liking, miko?"**_ True terror took hold as she stared at the facsimile of Sha's hanyou appearance, complete with silver hair, golden eyes… and elongated fangs.

"N-no," she whispered faintly, then screamed shrilly as claws tore into her shoulder and raked down her back, the tips catching on each of her ribs on the way down. At the same time, something slithered up her inner thigh towards her most vulnerable flesh.

"_**Farewell, Kikyo,"**_ the monster rumbled, then sank his fangs into her throat.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome gasped desperately, in so much pain that she was on the verge of passing out.

_Can't breathe…wait, what? Wh-where's Naraku? I'm surrounded by his aura… but…where'd he go? _

Hastily hitching up the shreds of her _hakama_ with one hand and trying to cover herself with the bloodied tatters of her kimono with the other, the young woman peered into her dimly-lit surroundings and let out a frightened squeak.

_What __is__ this place?_

She was surrounded by macabre heaps of contorted flesh, gleaming bone and matted fur. The ground beneath her feet heaved, and she looked down to realize that she was ankle-deep in a vast sea of youkai corpses.

_Where…?_

A burst of unmistakeable spiritual power caused her to spin around; she almost lost her balance on the shifting surface as she stared at two figures illuminated by a small circle of pale pink light. An arrow flamed brightly against the gloom as it was fired at a multiple-eyed worm-like _thing_ slithering towards the pair, while a sword spat blue sparks as it beheaded a bizarrely contorted caterpillar-with-fangs. The swordsman, wearing a style of antique armour she'd only seen in textbooks, flicked the blade free of glistening ichor and imperiously gestured.

"If you wish to live, Shikon miko, _hurry_!"

Kagome gathered up what was left of her clothing and staggered towards the waiting figures as quickly as the crippling pain allowed. _Couldn't they have come to me? _Stumbling up to the edge of the circle of light, she squinted at the pair. _Oops._ _Swords__woman__, not swordsman_. The archer wore the familiar white and red robes of a Shinto shrine maiden; the young woman blinked and looked closer. _Oh, gods… is __that__?_

"Welcome, our soul-sister," said the armoured woman, impatiently beckoning her forward into the circle of light. "I am Midoriko-no-Tama and this is Kikyo-no-Samukawa."

"L-Lady Kikyo?" Kagome whispered, staring at the second woman. _It's like looking in a mirror… almost._

The other priestess silently nodded, her cool gaze uncomfortably assessing. "He has given you the same wound," she quietly commented, gesturing at Kagome's bleeding shoulder.

"You have very little time, Shikon miko. Compose yourself," Midoriko snapped, and Kagome realized that the woman's face was another almost-identical copy of her own.

"Er, yes, ma'am," she meekly replied, straightening up as best she could even as the pain intensified. "Um… where are we?"

"Inside the Jewel itself," Midoriko answered impatiently. "There is no time for idle chatter; this circle is the last part of the Jewel free of our enemy's taint." Her voice softened. "I feel the burden of your wounds, but you must put aside your personal concerns and make your desire to protect the innocent the foremost emotion in your mind."

_In other words, imagine someone I love being attacked; I've done this before._ Taking a deep breath, Kagome did her best to push away the pain. Visualizing claw-tipped tentacles reaching for her mother, she willed the Jewel's power to awaken. _C'mon… help me out! We can't afford to fail!_ A faint surge of cleansing energy raced through her body and the distraction of her wounds faded slightly. _More… we have to stop him!_ Frowning in concentration, she added her brother's and grandfather's images to the mental picture, but the answering increase wasn't enough.

"Surely there must be someone _else_ in your heart that requires protection," Kikyo murmured.

_Can they see inside my head?_ Sha's silver-framed, golden-eyed visage immediately sprang to mind, but instead of powering up the Jewel, Kagome felt a distinct _lessening_ in the energy coupled with a jumbled sensation of anger laced with deep sadness and disappointment. _What's going on? _Casting a confused glance at the other two priestesses, she noted that while Midoriko met her gaze with steely resolve, Kikyo looked the other way. _What's with her?_ Notching another arrow, the former Shikon miko aimed into the gloom outside the circle and blasted a gibbering conglomeration of flesh.

"Do not lose your concentration," Midoriko directed as she broke away to bisect something that vaguely resembled a feathered horse with a scorpion's barbed tail. "Else you are doomed to join us in this place for all eternity!"

Shuddering, Kagome set aside her suspicions and reformed the image of her loved ones… with one deliberate change. This time, Sha's vulnerable human form joined her family. The resulting blaze of spiritual power ignited a wide circle around the three women, driving back the darkness and the slavering creatures that waited outside.

"Excellent! Hold that image in your mind and take our hands," Midoriko directed.

Without any other options, Kagome let the scraps of her clothing drop and obeyed._ So much more calloused than mine… from holding weapons nearly their entire lives, I expect._ As she linked hands with the other two women, the light surrounding them intensified into a deep rosy-pink. Blue electricity crackled around the exterior, snapping at the hovering creatures and pushing them back even further. The pain in her body disappearing, the weight crushing her chest easing as the sphere of light expanded outward, Kagome jubilantly squeezed the other priestesses' fingers. _We can do this!_ She was caught up by a powerful wave of spiritual energy that swept away the last vestiges of her physical agony along with the _jyaki_'s taint.

Midoriko's voice broke through her exultation. "The right wish will set us all free," the elder priestess cryptically urged as she and Kikyo faded away into the pure, bright light. Just before consciousness fully returned, another strained, unhappy voice whispered in Kagome's ear.

_He cannot be trusted_.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"How the _fuck_ do we crack this thing?" Sha yelled, slamming the sheathed Tetsusaiga on the ground in frustration.

Sesshiro flicked droplets of poison from his fingers, watching dispassionately as they sizzled into nothingness against the shield's roiling _jyaki_. "I could test Bakusaiga's power."

The hanyou's shoulders slumped in defeat. "She's probably already dead, and that bastard will be fucking _invincible_ if he's wished on the Jewel."

"Then I have your permission?" the taiyoukai asked, drawing the sword.

Sha rubbed his hand over his face. "Yeah," he muttered unhappily. "It's our only option."

Taking up a stance, Sesshiro swung the weapon over his head, but before he could connect, a network of glowing cracks rapidly spread across the smooth black surface. "_Move!_" Sha found himself bobbing in his brother's slipstream, his collar firmly gripped in Sesshiro's hand as the taiyoukai raced back towards the rest of their group. "Everyone over the edge!"

There was a rapid flurry as Tenmaru boosted Tsugane, Sota and Karin onto Ah-Un's back and threw himself off the cliff after them; the young hanyou was snatched out of mid-air by Sesshiro and dropped at his feet onto the cushion of _youki_ next to Sha. There was an inhuman scream followed by a massive explosion that shook the very air, sending debris from the plateau skipping and bouncing down the slope. They were blinded by a burst of brilliant pink light, and a moment after that, the _yakuza_'s segmented sword arced over their heads, twirling like a metallic streamer as it fell towards the forest below.

In the following silence, they all looked at each other until Sha stood up on the slowly undulating platform and growled, "What're we waiting for?" He held the Tetsusaiga's scabbard out in front as a precaution as they crested the rocky edge, but shock caused him to drop even this mild defence.

The plateau was empty, except for the limp, tumbled corpse of the sword's owner, a few fluttering scraps of bright floral fabric, and a gently smoking heap of ashes approximately where Narakage's shield had been.

"Sis _can't_ be dead…?" Sota whispered hesitantly as Karin sympathetically gripped his hand. "There'd at least be a body… right?"

Sha strode rapidly across the plateau towards the straggling pile, his posture painfully rigid; no one dared to follow. Tsugane let out a pained whimper, biting his lip so hard that he drew blood. Tenmaru swallowed the lump in his throat and quietly asked, "Can you detect any sign of life, Father?"

"No," the taiyoukai admitted, "but Tenseiga remains silent."

"That doesn't tell us anything," Tsugane sniffled, swinging down from Ah-Un's back.

His long black hair whipping in the night wind, Sha came to a stop before the mound. _Is this how it ends? Is this the price? Naraku's death at the cost of Kagome's life?_ Hanging his head, he tried unsuccessfully to fight off the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. The wind stirred the surface of the pile and began peeling away layers, whirling the dust into ever-changing patterns across the barren ground. Struggling with his emotions, Sha missed the first signs of movement; a moment later, when a filthy, naked, violently coughing young woman erupted out of the ashes, it took him a heartbeat to react.

Kagome choked, then vomited; Sha dropped to his knees and held his sleeve over her nose and mouth. "Breathe through this," he urged, scarcely daring to believe that she might be alive. Under the layers of dirt and drying blood on her back, he was stunned to see the healing tracks of fearsome wounds stretching from her shoulder to her waist. _What the hell? _

After several deep, harsh breaths sucked through the filtering fire-rat, Kagome lifted blood-shot eyes to meet his disbelieving gaze. "Thought I was a goner," she rasped, falling prey to another coughing fit. Sha yanked off his jacket and wrapped it around her, then unable to restrain himself any further, pulled her into his arms.

"W-we thought you were dead," he hoarsely whispered, the soot from her hair smearing his face.

"Almost was," she wheezed, wiping her mouth. "I need some water…."

"_Auntie!_"

"_Sis!_"

Tsugane and Sota galloped towards them; they were only steps away when a pink barrier erupted in their faces. While Sota passed right through, Tsugane didn't have time to yell as he threw up his arms to ward off the deadly energy, disappearing in a shower of sparks. When the lightshow cleared, the young dog-hanyou was writhing on the ground just outside a glowing curtain of spiritual energy. There was a flash that caused an answering outward surge in the barrier, and he was abruptly half-way across the plateau, with his father standing between him and Kagome, the sheathed Tenseiga in his hand.

"_Tsugane!_" Kagome screamed when she saw the blistering skin on her unconscious nephew's face. A thin tendril of smoke spiralled upwards from a crispy-looking canine ear.

"Holy gods, Sis," Sota muttered, covertly checking himself for damage and finding none. "What the heck did you _do_?"

"I-I don't know! The Jewel just reacted!"

"The _Jewel_ did that? But why? _He_ isn't a threat!"

"Tsugane is merely scorched," the taiyoukai said calmly enough, but they could all hear the edge in his voice.

"Are you sure?" Sha demanded, shaken by the Jewel's violent reaction. _I never, ever thought the new moon would save my life!_

"His fire-rat deflected the worst of it."

"I can't even examine him to make sure," Kagome agonized, wringing her hands.

"This defensive reaction to even harmless _youki_ proves that you are indeed who you appear to be," Sesshiro observed.

Sha's head snapped around. "_What?_ You thought that Kagome might be _Naraku_?"

"Our enemy transformed himself into a female earlier today to deliver the ransom note," the taiyoukai pointed out. "It was a reasonable concern that he may attempt to mislead us again in order to escape." Returning his sword to his sash, he bent down and gathered Tsugane into his arms. "We must seek medical attention."

Sota went to Kagome as Sha assisted the young woman to her unsteady feet. "Can we all fit on that dragon-thing?"

Kagome miserably hunched her shoulders. "I can't," she said in a small voice, as the ramifications of the Jewel's uncontrolled attack sank in. "The Jewel would probably try to purify Ah-Un."

"Tenmaru made arrangements on my behalf with one of the inns in Oshima Town this afternoon, just in case we had to remain on the island tonight for one reason or another," Sesshiro interjected. "He will act as your guardian."

"Yes, Father," Tenmaru dutifully answered.

The taiyoukai nodded. "Good; do not fail to warn the host about the Jewel's propensities." As _youki_ gathered around his feet and lifted both he and his unconscious son into the air, he added, "Hopefully the Shikon miko regains some semblance of control by morning."

Sota gave Kagome a heartfelt hug. "I'll tell Mom that you're okay," the teen assured as he stood up, then mock-punched Sha in the arm. "Keep her outta trouble."

"E-excuse me?" Karin Mifune nervously pulled the shimmering silver emergency blanket more tightly around her when all eyes turned towards her. "I-I would like to return home, too."

Tenmaru, who had assisted her down from Ah-Un's back shortly before, bowed politely. "Of course, Miss Mifune; please forgive us for not including you in the discussion. It's been a difficult evening for all of us."

Returning the bow, she agreed, "It certainly has," as Sota jogged towards them.

Tenmaru contemplated the fact that his mother's reincarnation was clad only in a bra and panties beneath the thin sheeting, and unbuckled his breastplate. When her eyes widened, he quickly said, "Please do not be alarmed, Miss Mifune; I am merely giving you my kimono to make your flight more comfortable."

"F-flight?"

"_Cool!_ We get to ride the dragon!" Sota exclaimed enthusiastically.

Tenmaru draped his thick, black fire-rat kimono over Karin's shoulders, allowing her to slip out of the coated plastic blanket. Her concentrated scent filled the air, stunning him with the waves of memory her familiar aroma instantly triggered, but Ah-Un's reaction was even more emphatic. The large animal gave a bird-like trill of recognition and it practically capered on its talons, then proceeded to rub both of its brimstone-scented muzzles all over her. Being snuffled by an excited dragon was too much; Karin gave a panicked cry and ducked behind Sota.

"We must depart," Sesshiro urgently called, a length of white fur coiling around his injured son.

"C'mon, Miss Mifune; I'll be right here with you," the teen said reassuringly. He gently dislodged her grip on his shredded clothing, then picked up the discarded emergency blanket and tied it around himself. "You take the saddle; we'll be just fine." With Tenmaru restraining Ah-Un, he helped the young woman onto the dragon's back and swung up behind. Bracketing her with his arms, he took hold of the high pommel and Ah-Un's reins. "I don't _really_ have to tell him where to go or what to do, right?" he asked Tenmaru.

"He will follow Father. Don't look down, and _definitely_ don't let go!"

"Thanks for the advice," Sota grinned, patting Karin's white-knuckled hands in a reassuring manner; she was leaving indentations in the pommel's tough leather.

Struck by an idea, Tenmaru inquired, "How were you brought up here?"

The teen looked around, then pointed. "There's a van parked over that way, but I don't know if they left the keys in it or not. The road up the mountain was really nasty in daylight!"

"We will have to risk it all the same… take care."

"You bet!" Sota grinned, then called out, "We're ready as we'll ever be, Lord Nishiki!" Ah-Un tossed its heads, and possibly out of deference to its passengers, took a less-precipitous launch trajectory to catch up with the taiyoukai. However, Karin's startled shriek was at least as loud as Kagome's had been barely an hour before.

Tenmaru watched his family disappear into the night sky. _Brother, you __must__ survive!_ _To gain Mother, but to lose you_…_!_ Squaring his shoulders, he turned towards his uncle and aunt, only to see Sha shove Kagome behind him and draw his battered sword. _Now what?_ The hanyou moved towards the couple, but brought himself up short. _Even if I am needed, I dare not approach too closely!_ Tenmaru realized that their attentions were firmly fixed on something hidden from his view within the pile of ashes. "What is it?" he called.

"The fucker's heart," Sha replied, prodding vigorously with Tetsusaiga's dull tip.

"Naraku's… heart?" Tenmaru repeated, daring to draw close enough to see the misshapen lump of tissue and hear its erratic tempo. "Why wasn't it vaporized along with the rest of him?"

"According to the cat, the fucker started out as a human, so this must be all that's left of the bandit Onigumo." Sha gave the palpitating organ another vicious poke. "It'd take all fucking night to chop it up with Tetsusaiga, and as satisfying as _that_ might be, we need to get Kagome to shelter… so it's up to you, brat. Use your fancy pig-sticker and avenge your mother." Sliding his arm around his wife, he gently tugged her away.

"Wait," Kagome said, reaching up to pull at the silver chain around her neck. "Take this off for me, please." Sha pried open the clasp and the tangled necklace dropped into her hand. She closed her fist around it for a brief moment, then tossed it onto the ground beside Naraku's heart and let Sha draw her back to give Tenmaru room.

The young dog-hanyou warily approached, drawing his short sword. _A very thorough purification, indeed!_ Pushing aside the ashes with his boot, Tenmaru sized up the eerily throbbing flesh. Staking the heart to the ground with his blade, he whispered an attack name. A column of green flames shot upwards, and when they subsided, Narakage's final earthy remains had been reduced to motes of dust. Retrieving his weapon, Tenmaru wiped it off on his _hakama_ and returned it to the sheath. Dusting off his hands, he glanced around the now-silent plateau before suggesting, "Shall we see if our late enemies left us a way off this mountain?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Young Mr. Higurashi certainly wasn't joking about the condition of the road," Tenmaru observed, peering through the cracked windscreen as he geared down yet again to coax the van around another hairpin turn on the precipitous mountain road.

"At least the assholes didn't booby-trap this thing," Sha observed from the rear, his feet braced against the front passenger seat as the vehicle lurched through yet another pothole, tightening his arms around the young woman in his lap to keep her secure. Tenmaru's breastplate came loose from where it was stashed under the seat and slid across the floorboards until it bumped into the console, Ah-Un's muzzles rocking noisily inside.

"Even luckier for us that it wasn't blown off the mountainside by the explosion."

Grunting in agreement, Sha ducked his head to peer into Kagome's face. "How ya doin'?" he asked softly, tucking the trailing sleeves of his fire-rat jacket around her bare legs. "Are you winning?"

"I _have_ to," she replied, the Jewel taking advantage of her momentary distraction to lunge for Tenmaru, but she slapped it down in time. "_Sorry!_"

The young dog-hanyou rubbed the tingling skin on back of his neck and shot a sharp look into the rear-view mirror. "Kindly remind the Jewel that endangering the driver is _not_ conducive to its long-term existence… especially since you are not wearing a seatbelt."

"Do you have _any_ idea as to why it's going nuts?" Sha questioned, brushing her bangs out of the way and pressing a kiss to her dirt-streaked forehead. "After you fried Naraku's ass, I figured it'd be quiet for a while."

"Not really," Kagome apprehensively admitted, doing her best to ignore the bumpy journey, and again working on a mental picture of a sturdy, lidded wooden box. _If I can use an image to call upon the Jewel's power, then I __should__ be able to use the same technique to contain it… right? I __can't__ allow it to hurt anyone else! _ Imagining the fractious Shikon-no-Tama being lowered into the box and the lid firmly shut, she added a couple of heavy locks for good measure. _Okay, now I have to make this picture a part of my consciousness… easier said than done. Darn it, why didn't the Jewel come with an owner's manual? _

Sighing as pink energy leaked out from under the box's lid, Kagome gradually became aware of a lurking sense of anger, disillusionment and disappointment. _It's the same as before… when I was inside the Jewel with Midoriko and Kikyo. Those definitely aren't __my__ emotions!_ Banishing the negativity while not losing her grip on the Jewel's power turned out to be an impossible task. _What the heck is going on? _

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Sota! _Sota!_" Mrs. Higurashi repeatedly hugged and kissed the teen despite their audience of several dog-youkai, one cat-youkai and one bemused human. "Look at you! What _happened_? Oh, never mind, for now… you came back!"

He stoically endured the fussing before gently breaking loose and bringing Karin forward. "May I introduce Miss Karin Mifune? Miss Mifune, this is my mother, Mrs. Yayoi Higurashi, and our shrine's guardian, Miss Buyo."

The cat-youkai gravely bowed, her pale eyes twinkling, as Yayoi fluttered, "Oh! Please excuse me, Miss Mifune… I was so _worried_… it's been a _very_ long twenty-four hours." Mrs. Higurashi flapped her hands, and then her eyes widened as she took in what the grubby young woman _wasn't _wearing under the black kimono. "My goodness _gracious_! You must be _freezing, _what with those bare legs! Come, come… there's plenty of hot water, we'll find you something to wear and I'll make us all some _miso_ soup." Karin didn't quite know what to say as she was bustled towards the house, but with Sota's reassuring presence at her side, she simply went along with it.

Ah-Un followed in Karin's wake, chirruping plaintively. Sota stopped and made a point of petting the creature while encouraging the young woman to do the same. The hybrid dragon seemed to realize that Karin was nervous, because it stood quietly, the twin heads taking turns enjoying her hesitant caresses instead of jostling each other for position. She relaxed enough to comment on the softness of their scaly hide, as well as the extremely long lashes framing Ah-Un's vivid yellow eyes. By the end of the short session, she was confident enough to not react fearfully when one head tenderly nuzzled her cheek and the other mischievously nibbled on her bangs at the same time.

"All right, fella… that's enough," the liveried groomsman said, stepping forward out of the watching group of guardsmen to reclaim the beast. Bowing deeply to the young woman, he said, "Ah-Un has missed you very much, my lady… and so have we. It's good to have you back." As the dragon was lead away, the dual heads risking collision several times as they craned their necks over their shoulders, Karin bit her lip.

"What's up, Miss Mifune?" Sota asked, noticing her contemplative expression.

"Mr. Hitomi claimed that I'm a reincarnation of the Lady of the West," she hesitantly replied. "Do you know anything about that?"

The teen scratched his ear, looking sheepish. "I think you'd better ask Lord Nishiki."

"L-Lord Nishiki?"

"Yeah. He's your best bet." Guiding her towards the foyer door, he commented, "We'll have to come up with a plausible story to tell your people… something that doesn't involve youkai." As they passed Buyo, he winked and invited, "We could use some input, since you're another expert in the field."

"Thank you, Lord Sota, but I will await the Western Lord." Buyo pensively watched the humans enter the foyer. _Victory is ours… apparently. However, I can't quite shake this feeling of dread…. _ The groomsman swung into Ah-Un's saddle, exchanging boisterously rude comments with the guardsmen before urging the creature aloft. She watched them disappear into the darkness above the city lights, until a cell phone rang amongst the group of dog-youkai. There was a brief conversation followed by murmured consultation, and a delegated guardsman approached the cat-youkai.

Bowing formally, he murmured, "As Mr. Higurashi relayed earlier, Lord Tenmaru, Lord Sha and Lady Kagome remain on Oshima Island this night. However, the reason for their decision was due to a complication involving the Shikon-no-Tama that resulted in Lord Tsugane's injury."

Her _youki_ spiked. "What sort of injury? He _is_ alive, correct?"

"Lord Tenmaru described him as 'lightly purified'," the guardsman replied deferentially even as he moved back a step. "My lord's life is not in danger."

'_Lightly purified'? Her dear friend? This does not bode well._ "Where _is_ the Western Lord?"

"Delivering Lord Tsugane to Mrs. Nishino's tender mercies, I expect."

"Lady Kagome is unharmed?"

The guardsman shifted his feet. "Lord Tenmaru indicated that she was in good health, but …."

"But _what_?" she demanded.

"He sounded concerned, my lady."

Buyo stared into the middle distance over his shoulder for a long moment before she inclined her head in dismissal. "Thank you." As he retreated to join his fellows, she shook out her sleeves and began pacing. _Naraku is dead and Lady Kagome lives… but the Shikon-no-Tama attacked Lord Tsugane. That means she is not in control of it... but why? What has changed in her relationship with the Jewel?_ Stopping dead in her tracks as an unpleasant possibility occurred, she turned it over in her mind. _If Lady Kikyo's memories of that day have been triggered by Lady Kagome's experience…! _

Familiar _youki_ washed over her, and she ceased her restless movements while the guardsmen straightened up smartly. Sesshiro landed soundlessly in the courtyard, but his agitation was plainly obvious to all who could see the twisting energy surrounding his tall form."Western Lord," she intoned, bowing.

"Shrine Guardian," he replied calmly enough. Raking his men with a sharp look, he barked, "The enemy known as 'Narakage Hitomi', or Naraku, is dead, but that does not decrease the risk to the residents of the Sunset Shrine."

"To your posts, men!" the ranking officer smartly ordered. "Fall out!" The dog-youkai scattered, happy to escape Sesshiro's ire.

Buyo glided closer. "How is Lord Tsugane?"

"Healing," he curtly replied, his attention focussed on the lighted windows of the Higurashi home.

"May I inquire as to the circumstances of his injury?" she asked, not at all put off by his impatient manner.

Sesshiro fixed her with a red-tinged yellow glare, but Buyo refused to be cowed. After a staring contest that lasted a few moments, he finally sighed. "Very well; a complicated situation has become even more so."

Buyo took pity on the beleaguered taiyoukai. _He is a father, after all, worried for his child._ "Let us retire to the roof so that we will not be interrupted." She turned towards the house, but he stayed her movement.

Forming a platform of _youki_, he offered her his hand. "We are united in our desire to protect our humans, Shrine Guardian. Allow me."

"My thanks, Western Lord." When they were ensconced on the roof tiles, she folded her hands inside her sleeves and murmured, "Tell me _everything_."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"We appreciate your kind welcome, Mr. Teishu, considering the lateness of our arrival," Tenmaru intoned, sounding uncannily like his father as he bowed to the rumpled, elderly host in the inn's panelled entrance hall.

"It is my pleasure, young sir," their host replied, as he bowed even lower to the dog-hanyou. "The House of the West is _always_ welcome," he continued, casting an appraising glance at Kagome's grimy, exhausted appearance while noting Sha's protective hover. "May I also say that it is a great honour to meet the Shikon miko?"

"Thank you… as I mentioned earlier today, we are here due to some rather unusual circumstances…."

"Say no more, my lord," Mr. Teishu chuckled, raising his hand. "The 'earthquake' up on Mount Mihara has caused a flurry of speculation among the human and youkai inhabitants; my wife has already fielded a number of calls. That was quite the lightshow of spiritual energy, my lady."

Kagome twitched. "Er, thanks," she answered curtly, wondering why the power roiling inside her was only growling at the raccoon-dog-youkai inn-keeper instead of lashing out. _It's still trying to get at Tenmaru, though…_ s_top it, darn you!_

Noting her intense concentration, not to mention Sha's scowl, Tenmaru gently dissuaded their host from asking any more questions. "My lady aunt is very tired from her recent experiences. I will be happy to answer any questions in the morning."

"Very good, sir. Right this way," the roly-poly youkai said, ushering them further into the rambling building and up a flight of steep stairs. "We had a last-minute cancellation this morning, so you have our establishment to yourselves… which is a good thing, considering that your concealment spells are absent." Patting the top of his grizzled head, he confided, "We don't mind having a day off now and again during the season; my wife and I are enjoying 'being ourselves', too."

Pausing in front of two painted wooden sliding doors, he opened both with a flourish. "The bathing facilities are through the door at the end of the hallway. We normally ask the ladies and gentlemen to bathe separately, but we will make an exception this evening; unusual circumstances and all that." Bowing deeply again, he said, "My wife is preparing a few small dishes to tide you over until breakfast," and waddled off down the hall.

"I'll check the bathing rooms and then secure the perimeter," Tenmaru said tiredly. "You and Aunt can go first." Disappearing inside the right-hand doorway, he came out carrying an indigo-patterned _yukata_. Kagome started, as if from a deep sleep, and took a step towards the left-hand door but Sha stopped her.

"Stay put; you're more likely to do a face-plant in their clean bedding than anything else," he gently remonstrated, and fetched the _yukata_ from the top of the folded futon. Cupping her elbow, he guided her down the hallway in Tenmaru's wake.

While they waited outside, the young dog-hanyou deposited his _yukata_ in a cubby hole in the change area and snooped in all the corners of the shower room. Heading outside to the fenced and roofed natural hot springs, he made sure that the enclosure was both secure and free of interlopers. "Nice view of the mountain," he reported back before disappearing to start his patrol.

Inside the changing area, Sha wasted no time in pulling off his white inner kimono and untied his _hakama_… then remembered the final, unnerving visual of his wife disappearing inside Narakage's shield and had second thoughts._ The fucking bastard_. _After what he did to her… and I'm sure I don't know the half of it… I'll keep my clothes on._ Knotting the sash, he noticed that Kagome was propping up a wall. "C'mon, sleeping beauty. Let's make this quick," he said, helping her out of his fire-rat and steering her into the shower room. Turning on the water, he manoeuvred her under the spray and moved back to give her some space. _I should probably leave the room, but_… _I don't want her out of my sight, either._

Kagome planted her hands flat on the wall and let the ashes slough off her hair and body. _Gods, she has an __amazing__ figure_… Sha tried not to ogle the young woman's shapely form, but failed, at least until her skin was free of concealing dirt and he could see the marks of violence. _That fucking bastard!_ Anger filled his heart as he noted the fading bruises marring her wrists and ankles, the puncture marks above her hip and in her throat, but the worst of all were the five vicious slashes curving down her back that looked uncomfortably like claw marks. It was when she turned around to face him, her hand coming up to touch her healing shoulder, that the pose struck him as curiously familiar. Staring intently, he searched his memories. _Where have I seen that before…?_

At that moment, when his expression could be most easily misinterpreted, Kagome blinked the water out of her eyes and saw Sha apparently intensely inspecting her naked body. _Eep!_ She moved to cover herself, and then mentally shook her head at her maidenly reaction. _Give it a rest, Higurashi. You've been stripped, groped, tortured and had tentacles in places you really don't want to think about… and you're having a shy moment in front of your husband?_

Sha, for his part, had turned a shade of scarlet that rivalled his colourful _hakama_. "Sorry," he muttered, staring at the stone floor. "I can't smell you or hear you when I'm like this… and I kinda need to have you within arm's reach after everything that's happened tonight." Glancing up, he offered, "I'll step outside if you're not comfortable."

She smiled crookedly and impulsively held out her hand. "I need you closer than 'arm's reach'."

The hanyou still hesitated. "I'm really worked up right now and I don't want to scare you if I get… demanding," he admitted. "The asshole got kinda rough with you, and I don't want you to have any more bad associations."

Kagome stepped out of the water stream and laid her wet hands on his bare chest. Searching his face, she said simply, "I trust you, Sha."

"Are you _really_ sure?"

"Completely," she replied, and began loosening the knot securing his sash. "Come on."

The heavy cloth dropped off his hips, puddling around his ankles on the slick floor. He was going to leave his underwear in place, but glanced down and realized that the thin fabric was already transparent. _Keh._ _Not exactly leaving anything to the imagination_. Kicking free of the garments, Sha allowed Kagome to pull him under the shower.

Experiencing a flutter that made her stomach flip, the young woman blushed as she covertly inspected the heretofore unseen parts of his anatomy. Biting her lip to stave off a nervous giggle, Kagome slipped her arms around Sha's narrow waist and slowly fitted her body against his, resting her head against his chest.

The hanyou immediately moved her mass of wet hair aside and began smoothing his hands up and down her back. "Does it hurt if I press on these marks?" he asked worriedly, carefully running his fingertips across the five indentations.

Kagome shook her head and snuggled closer, sighing contentedly, marvelling at the warmth and strength surrounding her. _This feels so good… I could just stay here forever…. _

For his part, Sha slowly relaxed, lulled by the water running over his skin and the curvaceous body melting into his arms from his tender attentions. _To be with her like this is __almost__ worth the shit the asshole caused…._

"Sha?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Does, er… _all_ your hair turn silver in the morning?"

The hanyou blinked, then chuckled, and gave her a squeeze. "You'll just have to wait to find out," he said playfully.

A few minutes later, when they were seated in the hot spring, Kagome gazed at the bamboo-framed night-time view of Mount Mihara. "It all seems like a bad dream," she murmured, lacing her fingers with Sha's.

He slung his free arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. "Whatever I can do to help you get over this… don't hesitate to ask," Sha said in all seriousness. "Even if it's to tell me that you need some space."

She smiled quietly. "I _need_ to be near you, because you make me feel safe." They sat in silence for a while longer, simply listening to the night-breeze rustling the roof of the enclosure and enjoying their newfound closeness, until Kagome sank lower in the water and mumbled, "I hope Tsugane is all right."

Sha kissed her forehead. "I'm sure Tenmaru will give us a report later; he's probably on the phone right now."

The young woman squirmed unhappily. "The Jewel has so far allowed me to protect my loved ones; to have it attack people that I care about is _frightening_…."

"You'll figure it out," he said confidently. "You've gone from being the 'Shikon Snack' to the 'Shikon miko' in less than a week; you'll get a handle on it in no time."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Just before dawn, Sha awoke to a vague sense of menace that seemed out of place in his very comfortable situation. There was a warm weight tucked against his side under the quilts on the thick futon; Kagome's fingers curled into the soft _yukata_ he'd donned after they exited the hot springs the previous night. _We both conked out so fast after dinner that we didn't even manage a goodnight kiss._

Yawning, he held up his hand, inspecting the blunt human fingernails that would very soon turn to claws. _Hope that whoever shows up to collect us remembers our concealment anchors; our host emphasized that the town's too small for us to avoid notice._ There was a faint pulse deep within his body, alerting him to the imminence of his change, and he awaited the return of his full powers. _Probably helpful that my nose was out of commission last night, because I didn't have to smell the asshole's stink all over Kagome. Good thing she had a bath, or I would've had trouble not pouncing on her this morning._

There was only a split-second warning before the Jewel attacked.

Kagome pushed herself up on her hands, half-asleep and completely bewildered by Sha's hasty exit from their cozy bed… until she saw a fist-like projection of pink energy splattering against the wall where his silver head had been a moment before. "_NO!_" she shouted, frantically attempting to visualize the restraining box, but the purifying power continued flailing after the hanyou until he bailed out the second-storey window. "Darn it! Why are you trying to hurt the people I love?" she railed, but quickly discovered that her negative emotions only increased the Jewel's range. _Okay… getting mad is totally not helping. Calm down, Kagome… breathe. Bring it back under control…._

After several long minutes battling the energy, she managed to impose her will upon the Jewel only when she calmed down. _I can sorta see why it freaked out last night, because it had just blasted Naraku and it probably wasn't differentiating between 'good' __youki__ and 'bad' at that moment… but it __knows__ Sha! _ When Tenmaru cautiously peered around the doorframe a couple of moments later, his appearance triggered a violent reaction that left her gasping on the futon from the effort involved in subduing the energy.

"Aunt, what is happening to you?" he called from the relative safety of the hallway.

"_I don't know!_ Please… is Sha all right?"

"I'm okay," came Sha's familiar, and very welcome voice through the wall panel from the direction of Tenmaru's room. "Dammit, girl! My ears are singed!"

"Those blackened ear-tips lend your appearance a certain rakishness, Uncle," Tenmaru commented, obviously trying to lighten the atmosphere. Both hanyou turned at the inn-keeper's urgent hail.

"What's going on?" Mr. Teishu demanded, puffing up the stairs towards them.

"Don't come any closer!" Kagome shouted, perspiring heavily as she struggled to lock away the Jewel.

Ignoring her warning, the raccoon-dog-youkai stuck his head in the open door. "That was quite the blast of spiritual energy, young lady; you scared the crow-youkai right off the eaves troughs all over town!" He inspected the wide-eyed young woman, who stared back at him in complete confusion. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Her purification powers went a little out of control in the confrontation last night," Sha finally growled.

"I take it that's why you almost went for a swim in the carp pond a few minutes ago?" The rotund youkai looked from the pair of tense dog-hanyou hiding in the corridor and then back into the room. "I'm even more of a youkai than they are," he addressed Kagome, "so why isn't the Shikon-no-Tama reacting to me?"

"That's a very good question," Tenmaru said. "Aunt?"

An unnerving suspicion had begun to form in Kagome's mind. "Sir, would you consider removing your concealment anchor for me?"

He considered her pleading expression for a long moment. "Very well," he slowly said, "but keep in mind I'm not as agile as these youngsters!" Removing a woven copper bracelet ringing his chubby wrist, he and the others waited with some trepidation.

Almost nothing happened. Kagome was framed by flickering pink energy, but the Jewel's reaction was virtually non-existent by comparison to its previous fiery aggression. Mr. Teishu smoothed the fur on his floppy black ears before replacing the bracelet and reverting to a fully-human appearance. "The Jewel certainly has a bite… but it appears to be selective."

_If he's right, this is __really__ not good!_ Kagome shakily called to Tenmaru, "How soon until your concealment anchors are delivered?"

"I-I'm not sure, Aunt," he replied, still disconcerted by the Jewel's mild rebuke of a stranger. "Why?"

"I think that the Jewel is attacking you and Sha based on your appearance, more so than your _youki_ aura… although it's going to make sure that you can't get too close anyways, even with a concealment spell," she slowly answered, giving voice to her growing conviction.

"Are you saying that the Shikon-no-Tama suddenly hates silver-haired youkai?" Sha asked in disbelief. "That's _ridiculous_!"

"The proof will be when we don our concealment anchors, Uncle," Tenmaru pointed out. "Aunt? Do you have any thoughts as to what may have triggered this change?"

Kagome didn't answer for a very long time, and when she did, her voice was so low that they had to strain to hear it. "Naraku took on Sha's hanyou appearance when he was torturing me… and now the Jewel seems to be connecting that image to the bad memories."

"Oh, _fuck_," Sha groaned.

Tenmaru considered a disquieting possibility that obviously hadn't yet occurred to the elder hanyou. "It appears that the price for being rid of Naraku will be high, but in a different way than we feared."

"What do you mean, brat?"

"He has made it impossible for you and Aunt to be together as husband and wife… unless you are fully human."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: Midoriko's and Kikyo's 'surnames'**

Ranuel mentioned the existence of a 'Tama City' in the Tokyo suburbs some time ago during a conversation about potential modern locations of places featured in _InuYasha_, such as the site of the exterminator's village, which is the birthplace of the Shikon-no-Tama.Tama City is a large 1970s residential community, situated in and named after the historic region known as the Tama Hills in Kanagawa Prefecture in south-western Greater Tokyo. Kanagawa Prefecture was part of 'Musashi's Domain' in the Sengoku Jidai era, so it's included in the correct historical-geographical area for _InuYasha_'s setting.

Tama City is also the home of Sanrio Puroland, aka 'Hello Kitty Land', the ultimate shrine to all that is _kawaii_.

On the other hand, the Samukawa shrine is an ancient Shinto shrine that dates back prior to 727AD; it is also in Kanagawa Prefecture and not far (as the crow-youkai flies) from the Tama Hills. Like 'Tama', there are several sites with 'Samukawa' in their names in the same area, including minor shrines. I borrowed the name and general location for Kaede's village because of its antiquity (great for a Well of Ages) and the fact that it happens to lie to the western or 'sunset' side of Greater Tokyo, but mainly because the shrine's Wikipedia page featured a wonderful picture of the main gate decorated for a festival. Between colourful figures of male and female deities, there is the unmistakeable form of a snarling white dog-youkai with at least two tails!

**Inside the Jewel:** in the final chapters of the IY manga, Inuyasha was shown a vision of Midoriko eternally battling the composite demon that had defeated her inside the Shikon-no-Tama and was told that this was Kagome's destiny, to take Midoriko's place in perpetuity against Naraku. I snagged the idea so that Kagome could 'go inside' the Jewel to meet Midoriko in this fic.

Although the anime gave her a face, Midoriko's features are never clearly depicted in the manga. Following RT's lead, it is hypothetically possible that Kikyo and Kagome were _both_ intended to be reincarnations of the mythical priestess.


	16. Determination

**Disclaimer: **I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **A little resolution and a lot of set-up for the final scenes of this fic.

**Bouquets** to my CMAs, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose for their expert 'catches'... and to Snowfall, for fielding that 'foul ball'!

**Warnings: **None

**The Price**

**Chapter Sixteen: Determination**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Later that same morning…**_

"Ten minutes."

Kagome leaned her head against the helicopter's rear window, dully watching the morning cityscape unroll beneath, until her knee was lightly rapped by a rolled-up magazine. Tenmaru gave her an encouraging smile across the empty seat between them, and she gamely returned it, but he tapped his nose and arched a sceptical eyebrow. Shrugging, she dropped her gaze to Sha's booted foot, which was all she could see of her husband from his spot on the other side of her nephew. _I don't really blame him for wanting to keep his distance… but I wish he would at least smile once in a while._

Shifting in her seat, she raised and lowered her hand, watching the spiritual energy trail like a thick mist just behind her movements. _The Jewel stopped freaking out the minute they put on their concealment anchors, so it is __definitely__ their hanyou appearances that are the problem, but it also doesn't seem to like this much __youki__ in its immediate vicinity. At least, that's the most plausible reason I can think of for it suddenly covering me in this 'warning light' so that they won't get too close._

Smoothing her glowing hands over her jeans, Kagome tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. _I'm glad Mom sent my clothes; that kimono Mrs. Teishu offered to loan me was very pretty, but I feel more secure dressed like this._ She caught herself twisting the cuffs and forced herself to stop. _We all came home alive, so I have to focus on the positive!_

On the other end of the row of passenger seating, Sha leaned as far forward as his seatbelt allowed to stretch his back. _Naraku might be dead, but the bastard's probably laughing his crispy-fried ass off in the eighth hell right now. How are we supposed to overcome this?_ Rolling his shoulders, he cast a glance towards his wife. Kagome immediately perked up and smiled, blowing him a kiss. _Fuck. That's the __only__ kind of kissing that'll be happening unless it's my human night… once every twenty-nine fucking days._ She recoiled a little from his dark expression, but before she looked away, undoubtedly with the entirely wrong idea, he pressed two fingers to his lips and returned the affectionate gesture. Kagome brightened, but then her face fell in obvious disappointment while the aura around her intensified. _She figured it out._

"Prepare for landing." The static-laden command focussed their attentions outside the windows, and they peered down at the wind-buffeted reception committee as the pilot lined up the helicopter with the widest part of the courtyard. Kagome held her breath as the blurred rotors whizzed perilously close to the main shrine's upturned eaves, but the pilot obviously knew what he was doing. "Mind your heads, because we're not shutting down the engines."

Removing her headset and unbuckling her seatbelt, Kagome watched the co-pilot exit the aircraft and slide open the door next to Sha. He left without a backward glance, but Tenmaru beckoned her forward with an encouraging grin before hopping out. The young woman nervously eyed the maelstrom outside, but scooted along the row of seats anyways. Instead of offering her his hand when she hesitated at the doorway, the co-pilot actually stepped back. Tenmaru and Sha were waiting for her, their dark hair whirling wildly in the rotor wash, but neither of them moved forward to assist.

_They don't dare touch me._ The reality of her situation struck Kagome like a thunderclap, and she stumbled on her jump down from the chopper's passenger cabin. As she straightened, the co-pilot made frantic cutting motions with his hands; she blinked in confusion until he urgently patted his head and ducked. _Oh, right. Decapitation wouldn't be good._ Smiling wryly in thanks, she bobbed a bow before scuttling like a crab across the courtyard. Once their passengers were safely out of range, the chopper rose into the air, spun around on its axis, and took off over the treetops.

"Kagome! Thank goodness!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed, pushing her hair out of her face and crushing her daughter in an embrace. "You were successful!"

"Yes, Mom… sort of," she quietly replied, feeling far from jubilant as Yayoi greeted Sha and Tenmaru with enthusiastic hugs.

Sota briefly squished his sister; noting how the dog-youkai were keeping their distance, he murmured in her ear, "The Jewel's still causing trouble?"

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "It's really bad."

"Don't worry, Sis. You'll figure it out," he said encouragingly. "C'mon… Miss Buyo and Miss Karin are waiting inside."

"'Miss Karin', huh?" she grinned, then sobered. "You _do_ remember that she's kinda-sorta spoken for, right?"

"I _know_," he growled, rolling his eyes. "Miss Karin and I went through some nasty shit together, so she feels closer to me right now… not to mention _safer_ with me… than she does anybody with fangs and claws."

"Apparently she and I are in the same boat… but for different reasons," Kagome muttered, linking arms with Sota as Mrs. Higurashi ushered the group towards the house.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Buyo and Karin awaited them inside the _tatami_ room; Kagome blinked when she realized that the teenager was wearing her neon-pink sweatshirt and a pair of her jeans. _She's been here all night? Sesshiro has to give her back sooner rather than later!_ Pasting a smile over her surprise, she bobbed a bow to the pair. The cat-youkai stepped past Karin, reaching for Kagome, but the young woman hastily backed up, forcing Sha and Tenmaru to also retreat. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Buyo, but it isn't safe for you to touch me." A huge lump rose in her throat. _No one__ can touch me…not unless they're human._

Buyo dropped her hands as she inspected the sparkling aura surrounding Kagome, not to mention the young woman's deflated demeanour. "Lord Nishiki mentioned that there had been complications."

"Thanks to Naraku," Sha spat.

The cat-youkai nodded. "In more ways than one, if my suspicions are correct."

"I'll make a fresh pot of tea," Yayoi interjected. "Lord Nishiki will be here shortly, and this sounds like it will be a long discussion. Please, take a seat; standing here in the hallway isn't doing any of us any good." The taiyoukai did indeed arrive fifteen minutes later, just as the cups were being filled; Kagome noted that while Karin greeted Sesshiro with a polite bow, her smile was tentative and she stuck very close to Sota.

Kagome found herself sitting alone on one side of the table; Sha and Tenmaru flanked Sesshiro directly opposite to her, while her mother, Sota and Karin clustered on one side. Buyo considered the young woman's social isolation and deliberately seated herself as close to her human as possible.

"Ohhh, Miss Buyo… that isn't a good idea!" Kagome protested, scooting backwards. "_Please_ don't test the Jewel! I'm not in control of it _at all_!"

"I am merely demonstrating that there is no need for you to be so severely quarantined," the cat-youkai gravely stated, with a significant look across the table. When none of the dog-youkai budged, she quietly enquired, "How is Lord Tsugane?"

"His condition is stable," Sesshiro replied, carefully inspecting the Jewel's notable lack of reaction to Buyo, who was literally only inches away from Kagome. Abruptly rising to his feet, he swept around the table and seated himself roughly the same distance away on the young woman's other side. They all watched with varying degrees of nervousness as her aura expanded outward several inches.

Kagome broke out in a cold sweat as she tried to control her emotions and thereby restrain the Jewel from lashing out. Taking several deep, cleansing breaths, she forcibly stopped her panic from escalating and watched her aura retract.

"You _do_ have some control, my lady," Buyo said, smiling in satisfaction. "Have more confidence in yourself."

"Er… excuse me? What's going on?" Sota asked in confusion; Karin and Yayoi were similarly baffled.

"It'd be easier if you had spiritual power," Kagome answered. "Right now, I'm glowing like a traffic beacon. The Jewel just reacted to my fears that it would attack Miss Buyo and Lord Nishiki by making my aura larger. When I calmed down, it retreated."

"The Western Lord is wearing a concealment spell, but I am not," Buyo noted, her brow furrowed, "and yet, the Jewel is not trying to destroy me."

"_You_ don't have silver hair," Sha growled back, unhappily eyeing Sesshiro's proximity to his wife.

The cat-youkai straightened up, her pale eyes keen. "The Jewel's reaction appears to be tied to a youkai's appearance?"

"Keh."

Hunching her shoulders, Kagome whispered, "Naraku took on Sha's appearance when he was torturing me." Those who could see her aura noted how it became laced with crackling sparks; the youkai on either side of her discreetly edged away.

Buyo rubbed her chin as she considered the large can of worms that she was possibly about to crack open. _I need more information_. "Can you tell us what happened, Lady Kagome?" she gently prompted.

"We don't need the gory details, cat," Sha snarled.

The cat-youkai looked down her nose at the hanyou. "I do not wish to hear 'the gory details', either. I have a theory as to what may have triggered the Jewel's new aggressiveness, particularly towards those with silver hair, but only Lady Kagome can fill in the blanks… unless, of course, she has already told _you_ the full extent of her experience so that you can be her spokesman?"

Sha looked away. "No," he mumbled.

"I was inside the Jewel," Kagome said, snapping everyone's attention in her direction.

"Like an out-of-body experience?" Karin suddenly piped up. When the eyes of the company swung to her, she quailed briefly but bravely continued, "When Mr. Hitomi was… _hurting_ me, at one point I felt like I was floating near the ceiling, watching him do these horrible things to someone else." She shuddered violently, her hand flying up to cover her bruised cheek, and Sota immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders. When a low growl rumbled from Sesshiro's direction, the teen met the taiyoukai's narrowed gaze with calm defiance. After a stand-off that lasted only a few moments, it was Sesshiro who first broke eye contact.

"Um… it _was_ sorta like that," Kagome hastily interrupted, "but instead of watching from outside, I was inside a dark place filled with youkai corpses. Naraku's aura was all around me, and I was still in unbelievable pain, but he wasn't actually _there_. Lady Midoriko was, though, along with Lady Kikyo."

While Sha visibly twitched, Buyo raised her eyebrows. "And…?"

Kagome fastened her eyes on the cat-youkai, who smiled encouragingly. "We didn't have that much time; Lady Midoriko said that we had to move fast before Naraku completely tainted the Jewel. She helped steady my nerves and gave me the confidence to fight back."

"Did Kikyo say anything?" Sha rasped.

"She said 'he has given you the same wound' and 'he cannot be trusted', but I figure that she must have been talking about Naraku."

"Not necessarily; otherwise, how can the hostility towards anyone who shares the same colouring as Lord Inuyasha be explained? Naraku was dark-haired." Buyo absently smoothed her robes as she collected her thoughts. "Lord Inuyasha, I need your assistance. Please cast your mind back to the day of your sealing."

The hanyou's expression became stony. "What does _that_ have to do with _this_?"

"It may hold the key to the Jewel's reaction; when Lady Kikyo shot at you the first time, there is a strong chance that it was actually Naraku wearing her guise, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Explain, Brother."

"The attack was totally unexpected… I mean, we'd parted the night before with my promise to use the Jewel to become human, and suddenly she's yelling 'Die, Inuyasha!' and trying to peg me with an arrow."

"A change of heart?"

Sha rapidly shook his head. "No. When I thought about it after talking to Buyo last Monday, I realized three things… one, Kikyo was definitely downwind, two, the arrow wasn't glowing, and three, she was uninjured. When I saw her again after I grabbed the Jewel, Kikyo was horribly wounded and the arrow she aimed at me was crackling with power."

"And yet, she did not purify you; instead, she only sealed you," Buyo pointed out.

"Keh."

The cat-youkai steepled her long fingers on the polished tabletop. "Your claws were free of her blood, so you were definitely _not_ her attacker."

"How do you know?" he demanded, more than slightly disconcerted.

"I checked your hands that night" she flatly replied. "If you _were_ Lady Kikyo's killer, I would have cut your throat myself."

"When Lady Kikyo said 'he has given you the same wound', she was talking about Sha, not Naraku," Kagome whispered with a sense of horror. "That's why she also said 'he is not to be trusted'." Looking around the table, she added, "This could explain those odd feelings…."

"'Odd feelings'?" Sha asked, almost afraid of the answer.

She took a sip of tea to wet her suddenly dry throat before slowly replying, "Anger, fear, disappointment… disillusionment…."

"The emotions of betrayal," Buyo murmured.

"But… but… I _didn't_…!" the hanyou spluttered.

"Lady Kikyo died _believing_ that you had attacked her, Lord Inuyasha. I suspect _that_ is why the Jewel appears determined to keep you as far away from Lady Kagome as possible."

"Lady Kikyo is probably only trying to protect Aunt from suffering the same fate," Tenmaru said thoughtfully.

"Does this sound like a reasonable explanation, Lady Kagome?" the cat-youkai asked the silent young woman.

"Unfortunately… yes," she uncomfortably admitted.

"Too bad that you can't go back inside the Jewel and talk to Lady Kikyo," Sota commented.

"I almost _died_," Kagome pointed out. "I _really_ don't want to be in that situation again any time soon!"

"There _must_ be a way to prove that Sha isn't a threat!" Yayoi said plaintively.

"Earlier, when you were afraid that we were too close, the Jewel definitely reacted to your fear," Sesshiro observed. "This is useful knowledge." Deliberately infringing on Kagome's personal space, he silently challenged her to put that knowledge to the test.

She first shrank away, her aura expanding, but then determinedly squared her shoulders. The roiling spiritual power quieted, even tolerating a light brush from Sesshiro's _youki_… but that was as much familiarity as the Jewel permitted. When the taiyoukai attempted to lay his fingers on Kagome's arm, there was a ferocious crackle and flare that sent him shooting backwards out of range.

"_Oh!_ I'm _so_ sorry! Are you hurt?" Kagome gasped.

Before answering, Sesshiro calmly brushed down his shirt and smoothed his hand over his black hair. Despite his efforts, several small twiggy strands sproinged disobediently outwards, and across the table, Karin muffled a giggle in Sota's shoulder. "I am unharmed," he said stoically. "However, it does appear that physical contact between yourself and someone of youkai blood is out of the question… for now."

Kagome couldn't look at Sha. _Thanks for the reminder… like I needed it!_ Just then, a small mystery tugged at her memory. "There's one more thing that puzzles me…."

"Yes?" Buyo asked.

"Lady Midoriko said 'the right wish will set us all free'… what do you suppose she meant?"

"Maybe… 'free' in terms of the threat that the Shikon-no-Tama poses to both its bearer as well as those who seek it?" Tenmaru suggested. "If it didn't exist, there wouldn't be any conflict over it."

Yayoi spoke up then. "The legend of the Shikon-no-Tama always implied that if the wish was selfish, then the Jewel would distort the wisher's desire into something monstrous to punish them."

"Aren't all wishes, by their very nature, kinda selfish?" Sota asked. "I mean, even if you wish for something big like 'world peace', you're still hoping to protect someone."

Kagome rubbed her temples and sighed. "I suppose that I can use my free time to look through Grandpa's scrolls for any information on the 'right' wish…."

"What do you mean, 'free time'?" Sha asked.

She avoided his gaze. "I can't go to school until I can control the Jewel… and I can't live with you for the same reason."

Yayoi clasped her hands to her heart at her daughter's palpable sadness. "I'm sorry, Kagome, but you can't stay here either. Your grandfather is being released this afternoon, and if he thinks the marriage has already been repudiated, it might cause him to relapse."

Sesshiro quietly observed, "Your youkai classmates all wear concealment spells. The powerful spiritual energy surrounding you will be a natural deterrent to attack, as will the presence of your bodyguards. There is no reason why you cannot attend your university classes as well as live at Western House."

"B-but… you can't truly be _yourselves_ if I'm living there!" Kagome protested in a panicky tone.

He shrugged eloquently. "Wearing our concealment anchors is a minor irritant," Sesshiro coolly replied. "Your presence will be accommodated."

"Sha? What do you think?" she appealed to the silent hanyou.

After a long pause, he murmured, "Sess is right… you're safer at the main house, and if the Jewel isn't here, then your family is better off, too."

Kagome bit her lip. "But, will _you_ live at Western House… or the apartment?" she asked, her tone plaintive.

He managed a crooked smile. "I ain't gonna leave you to deal with the brats by yourself."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome fidgeted on the limo's plush leather seat, twisting the hem of her sweater, until Sota sharply said, "Don't get yourself all worked up, Sis."

She jumped, then folded her restless hands in her lap. "I know, but…."

"You can do this… I _know_ you can."

"How many people will I hurt before then?" she mumbled.

"With that attitude, quite a few," he growled, biffing her ear. "Smarten up."

"Your brother is correct," Sesshiro commented from his seat across from them. "Negativity breeds negativity."

Quickly changing the subject, Kagome said, "I thought that things went well with Miss Mifune."

Sota snorted at her transparent diversion attempt, but went along with it. "Our cover story was just close enough to the truth that they bought it."

"Her housekeeper, Mrs. Ueda, is horse-hanyou," Sesshiro noted. "She recognized me, so I doubt there will be any trouble on that count."

"Why did you assign extra security, since Naraku is dead?" the teen wanted to know.

The taiyoukai smiled mirthlessly. "I have made more than one enemy over my lifetime."

Sota wrinkled his nose. "Popular guy, huh?"

"You will also become part of Miss Mifune's extended protection system," Sesshiro responded silkily, controlling his annoyance.

"I will?"

"Your high school is near her college; I will arrange that the two of you are picked up and dropped off together."

The teen grimly smirked. "Since her former chauffeur suddenly 'went to pieces' as of last night, it'll be easy enough to stick one of your guardsmen into the position. So, why am I allowed to hang out with her? You weren't too happy about it earlier."

"Miss Mifune trusts you," Sesshiro quietly replied.

Sota gave him a considering look. "So, I'm kinda your liaison officer, huh?"

The taiyoukai's face was a picture. "In a manner of speaking."

"Go easy on her," the teen advised. "Sis went from 'sorta normal' to 'Shikon miko' to 'Mrs. Nishiki' in less than a week, and she only made it through all that because she had Sha. Miss Karin found out about youkai twenty-four hours ago when Naraku did the tentacle-abuse thing… sorry, Sis," he amended when Kagome flinched. "The point is, Miss Karin's probably gonna need more time to digest all of this because she's on her own."

"Um… Elder Brother?" Kagome hesitantly asked. "How did Miss Mifune's previous reincarnations react to the truth about you?"

"I had no need of a human appearance until the foreigners arrived in their black ships, so only Miss Mifune's immediate predecessor saw me in this guise," he rumbled, indicating his silver-threaded black hair. "She died within weeks of our reunion, so had no time to learn the 'truth'."

When Sota looked puzzled, Kagome filled in the blanks. "Miss Mifune is the third reincarnation of the original 'Lady Rin' who married Lord Nishiki back in the Warring States era."

"Wow… so, you were able to find her every time she was reincarnated?" the teen asked with considerable interest.

"Not necessarily," Sesshiro answered.

"That would _really_ suck," Sota earnestly sympathized. "At least Miss Karin is young, so you'll have her for a long time, right?"

"I truly hope so."

The teen tilted his head, thoughtfully regarding the taiyoukai's middle-aged human concealment spell. "Can you change your appearance at all?"

"Lord Nishiki can turn into a giant dog," Kagome offered.

"That was _you_? _Totally_ cool; I saw you just before that freak grabbed me," Sota eagerly replied. "No, what I meant was… can you make yourself look younger, Lord Nishiki? Miss Karin isn't into older men, if you know what I mean."

Sesshiro was plainly surprised. "She told you this?"

He nodded. "Naraku spilled the beans about you being her husband, and she's kinda worried that you're too old for her."

"You didn't tell her exactly _how_ old, did you?" Kagome demanded.

The teen grinned. "Nope. Didn't want to completely spook her." They sat in silence for several long moments after that, until the limousine came to a stop just long enough for an impressive set of iron-bound wooden gates to open. "Whoa…." Sota breathed, practically pressing his nose to the tinted window as they rolled into a gravelled forecourt enclosed on one side by a converted mews and on the others by high walls softened by trailing greenery. "This is _awesome_!"

"Welcome to Western House," Sesshiro intoned. The uniformed chauffeur opened the passenger door and saluted; Kagome tightly gripped Sota's hand as they exited the vehicle. Following in the taiyoukai's wake as he headed towards an inner gate, the siblings tried not to gawk at the man energetically raking smooth the gravel rumpled by the limousine's passage.

"This place is _huge_!" Sota gasped as soon as they stepped past the saluting sentry onto the winding gravel path. Mature trees towered overhead, their branches reflected in the still waters of a large carp pond, and cleverly planted bushes gave the impression of a forested glade in the heart of the city.

"The Western House compound covers several city blocks and we also own the surrounding lands."

"Why so much?" Sota asked, then hastily amended, "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that…."

"Security," Sesshiro replied. "Taller buildings give an enemy the advantage of height for both spying and attack."

When Sota's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs, Kagome interjected, "It also prevents nosy photographers from taking pictures, I imagine."

"Yes. It is very pleasant to be able to relax outside without our concealment spells."

_And now you've lost that simple pleasure because of me_. Kagome guiltily focussed on the gardens. "Where is Wisteria House?"

Sesshiro came to a stop and pointed. "On the other side of the pond… the arbour is magnificent in springtime."

The siblings squinted in the direction indicated at a gracefully-curved decorative wooden structure covered with silvery-grey vines; behind it loomed a tiled-roof pavilion. "It looks very beautiful," Kagome said honestly.

"It was built for my honoured grandmother. Come." Sesshiro led the way up a broad flight of stairs to the main building's carved wooden door. Sota gave Kagome's hand an encouraging squeeze as they entered.

A familiar face awaited them as they removed their shoes in the foyer. "Lady Kagome! Welcome to Western House… and Mr. Sota! How nice to see you again!" Mrs. Nishino chirped, bowing. When the teen straightened from his bow and she had a better look at his face, her expression became dismayed. "Oh, my goodness… is Naraku responsible for those injuries?"

"Not exactly, ma'am. It was one of his goons."

The petite housekeeper stepped closer and peered up at his bruises. "I have a salve that will speed your healing," she offered.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Sota replied as she ushered them into a spacious _tatami_ room with a view over the gardens. "I never thought I'd say this, but I don't want to miss any more classes."

"Tea, my lord?"

"In a moment," the taiyoukai replied. Turning to Kagome, he asked, "Would you see Tsugane?"

She brightened, then sagged. "Is he wearing his concealment anchor?"

"No, but the room is darkened."

Biting her trembling lip, she unhappily whispered, "It's too big of a risk."

"I'll go say 'hi' for you," Sota offered, then looked expectantly up at Sesshiro, who inclined his head and led the way out of the room.

"Please have a seat, Lady Kagome." Mrs. Nishino indicated a _kotatsu_ draped in shimmering fabric. She bustled off as Kagome sank down on one of the cushions and cautiously drew the rustling quilt over her lap, reappearing a few moments later with a fully-loaded tray. "My lord informs me that difficulties have arisen?" she inquired as she arranged the tray on the low tabletop.

"Very much so."

The dog-youkai smiled warmly at Kagome's wan expression and offered her a steaming cup on a teak saucer. "The House of the West has faced many, many challenges over the centuries, my lady. I think you will find us more than accommodating of your special needs."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Not long after, when Kagome's small load of personal belongings arrived from the shrine, Sota left with the guardsmen who delivered it. "Mom's gonna need help bringing Gramps home this afternoon," he said, hugging his sister. "Come by later to see him, and in the meantime, I'll start digging out some scrolls. After Ryukotsusei's 'earthquake' last week, at least I know which storeroom they're all in!"

"All right…."

He lightly tapped her under the chin. "Positive thoughts only, Sis."

"I _know_."

Mrs. Nishino arrived, a small jar in her hand. "Here you are, Mr. Sota. Apply three times a day until your skin is healed."

"Thanks very much, ma'am," the teen replied, pocketing the salve. "Hey, do you happen to have more of this?"

"Unfortunately not," she answered. "Is someone else in need of treatment?"

"Naraku roughed up Miss Karin pretty bad," he said. "She has an even bigger bruise on her face that'll stop her from leaving the house for a while."

The dog-youkai nodded and bowed. "I'll send the recipe to her housekeeper; horse-youkai are usually very skilled at compounding traditional medicines." Once the truck left the forecourt, Sota hanging out the window and waving, Mrs. Nishino escorted Kagome through the garden and under the eponymous arbour to Wisteria House, followed by a couple of troopers pressed into service as porters. As they ascended the stairs to the veranda, the young woman admired the handsome woodwork adorning the exterior, particularly the finely carved door that portrayed delicate wisteria blossoms swaying over a carp-filled pool. "This pavilion is almost two hundred years old," Mrs. Nishino said as she opened the door. "I hope that you will find it comfortable here."

Kagome stepped into the foyer, and gulped at the deceptively simple interior. A niche directly opposite the door held a studiously elegant floral arrangement, and the wooden floors of the hallway gleamed with beeswax. _Is that an ancestral shrine?_ While she examined a finely carved cabinet, she hastily acquired a pair of house slippers from the well-stocked rack.

"Here is the main room," Mrs Nishino said, sliding open a panel on the left to reveal a comfortable-looking space, complete with _kotatsu_ table sporting a sumptuous quilt, scattered floor cushions, bookshelves and an entertainment centre. "Come in, come in… this is now your home, my lady," she gently chided as Kagome hesitated on the threshold.

Her feet sinking into the thick _tatami_ mats as she crossed the room in Mrs. Nishino's wake, the young woman inhaled the fresh scent advertising the newness of the pale green floor covering. _Those look like silk bindings; Gramps'll be impressed! Heck, __I'm__ impressed… and more than a little intimidated. _

"This is the kitchen," the dog-youkai beckoned from the adjoining room, the doorway hidden behind another sliding screen. "However, you are most definitely welcome to join us in the main house. Your class schedule is the same as Lord Tsugane's correct?"

"Er, yes," Kagome answered, looking around the tiled and stainless-steel-clad work area. _Mom would kill for this much counter space!_

The dog-youkai nodded vigorously. "To facilitate your homework schedule, then I insist that you allow me to take responsibility for your meals."

"Thank you."

One of the troopers stuck his head into the kitchen. "We put your luggage in the second bedroom, Lady Kagome. Will there be anything else, Mrs. Nishino?"

"Not right now, but keep an eye out for Lord Sha's arrival." He bobbed bows to both of them and disappeared along with his fellow. Mrs. Nishino smiled at the young woman. "Would you like some help unpacking?"

"Oh, I appreciate the offer, but I'll do that myself," Kagome answered.

"Very good; lunch will be served at 1:00." Bowing, she swept out of the room, and a few moments later, Kagome heard the front door's latch click.

Rubbing her arms, she hesitated for a moment before exploring the rest of the house. Entry doors to the toilet and a tiled bathroom lined the hallway next to the kitchen; across from them were a pair of sliding wooden doors adorned with the wisteria-and-carp theme. Kagome cautiously peeked inside the first and discovered a spacious eight-_tatami_ room furnished with a tall, old-fashioned chest of drawers. A futon was folded up in the middle of the floor and topped by a pile of bedding. _Sha's room, I guess._ Swallowing the lump in her throat, she retreated back into the hallway and tried the second door.

An identical room greeted her, also equipped with a tall wooden chest and a pile of bedding. Her luggage was neatly piled beside the dresser, and she sighed. _Better get on with it._ Kneeling next to the chest, the first thing she did was finger the dark-blue binding on the _tatami_. _That's definitely silk… wait, that pattern looks familiar. _Bending over until her nose was practically pressed to the woven rushes, she squinted at the tiny white design. _It's the same floral crest that's on Tsugane's car, which means this is a custom job… I am so out of my league, it isn't funny._ Sitting back on her heels, she began organizing her clothing and packing the items away in the narrow drawers. _I hope Sha brings my yellow sweatshirt back from the apartment, and then I have to somehow retrieve my pink one… and my jeans… from Miss Mifune._

Glancing around as she pursed her lips, she noticed that the dividing wall between her room and Sha's was composed of sliding screens instead of solid panels… and smiled ruefully_. Looks like someone is hopeful that we'll be able to share a room someday_. Emptying her last bag of a stray sock, a scarf, and her alarm clock, she stashed the final items and then realized what was missing. _Oh, shoot… they forgot my textbooks! I'll pick them up later._ Arranging her pyjamas on top of the stacked bedding, Kagome wandered out into the hallway. A very steep set of cupboard stairs led upwards, probably to an attic. _I'll check that out later_.

The bathroom across the hall with its oversized, very deep tub was a welcome sight. _Big enough for two_… _someday._ On her way back to the main room, she detoured through the kitchen and snooped in the cupboards. Finding a kettle in one and a canister of green tea in another, she decided to make herself a cup.

While waiting for the water to boil, she poked around for a teapot and cup. _It's chilly in here, probably because the rooms are bigger than at home… or because I'm nervous._ She located a wall socket and plugged in the _kotatsu_'s electric heater, then tucked herself under the quilt. Surveying her gracious surroundings, she couldn't help but feel a little discouraged. _Do I have __any__ chance to really fit in here? I mean, you pretty much have to be __born__ into a family like this to know all the protocols. _Lightly banging her head on the inlaid tabletop, Kagome completely missed the arrival of her first visitor.

"Is Wisteria House to your liking, Sister?" The kimono-clad taiyoukai arched an eyebrow at her startled expression as he glided across the room and seated himself at the _kotatsu_. Folding his hands in his sleeves, he gave her an expectant look.

"Ah, er, _yes_, Elder Brother," she stammered. "Um… may I offer you some tea?"

"You may."

Jumping up so fast that she banged her knees on the edge of the table and almost tripped on the quilt, Kagome bolted for the kitchen. Behind her, Sesshiro hid a smirk behind his hand. When she returned a few minutes later with two cups of tea precariously balanced on saucers, he mentally placed bets on her spilling at least one of them, but she managed to serve both without mishap… despite obviously shaking hands. "Is Sha home yet?" she asked, planning to sound casual, but instead coming across as somewhat desperate.

"No," he answered, sniffing his tea before sipping carefully. "I wished to speak with you before he returned."

Kagome went pale, and set down her cup. "W-what a-about?"

"Why do you assume the worst?"

She exhaled, her shoulders slumping, and gestured around the elegant room. "I'm feeling really out of my element."

"You will adapt, as others have done before you." He took another sip before continuing, "Tenmaru's mother was born into a poor fishing village, living hand-to-mouth for several years after the deaths of her family in a typhoon." Looking into the middle distance, he added, "She found the transition from her old life to be… difficult. In some ways, she never recovered from the traumas of her childhood." His attention abruptly focussed on Kagome. "You have many advantages over her."

"Yes, sir," she meekly replied. "Um… what did you want to talk about?"

"I wish to know your goals."

"My… goals?"

He propped his chin on his palm. "Do you intend to lock yourself in this house and bewail your fate?"

Kagome blinked rapidly, then stared into her teacup for inspiration. "I have no intention of doing _that_… but I'm not sure how to bring the Jewel back under control. Do you know anyone who can advise me?"

"My contacts are currently looking, but so far they have not located anyone with the necessary level of experience."

"_Darn_. Then I'd better hope that I can find something in the Shrine's records."

"Indeed." He raised his teacup and inclined his head. "This is acceptable."

"Er… thanks?"

"Dog-youkai have far more sensitive palates than humans, so lightly-steeped tea is our preference."

"Oh! Like the mild flavourings in the salmon we had for breakfast yesterday?" When he nodded, she mumbled, "I think… I have a ways to go to fit in."

"Do not doubt yourself."

In the following silence, Kagome managed to corral her scattering thoughts and consider his question. Clasping her hands in her lap, she quietly said, "Right now, my goals include containing the Shikon-no-Tama so that it can't hurt anyone else… and maybe figure out how to use it to help people."

"Your Shrine Guardian claims that if you were properly trained, you could save even those on the brink of death," Sesshiro commented.

She sat upright, her eyes bright. "_Really_?"

"A useful skill," he replied blandly. "What else?"

"I want to go back to school… if you're sure that it's appropriate."

"It is up to you, Sister. Your absences have been excused, and Tenmaru has volunteered to be your bodyguard."

"That's very brave of him; um… what did Sha say?"

"Your husband is being remarkably reticent," Sesshiro said. "While his brooding silence is a welcome change from his usual profanity, I am concerned."

"Seeing your wife being sexually assaulted and not being able to do anything about it would fuck with any _normal_ man's head." Kagome jumped at Sha's snarled insult, but Sesshiro merely gave the seething hanyou a cool look.

"Your wife's valour has rid Japan… and the world… of a threat far beyond our capabilities to contain it, Brother. Celebrate her courage instead of dwelling on the unpleasantness that she endured."

Sha scowled. "Easy for you to say; at least _you_ have the potential for erasing Miss Mifune's bad memories with some tender loving care." Heaving a bulging duffel bag over his shoulder, he stomped off down the hallway.

Against a backdrop of loudly slamming drawers from the direction of Sha's room, Kagome solemnly met Sesshiro's gaze. "I would also like to kiss my husband without endangering his life."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Later that afternoon…**_

"Hey, Sis… had enough already?" Sota wryly greeted Kagome as she left the house wearing a pinched expression.

"I feel sorry for Mom," she answered, grimacing.

"How about _me_?" he mock-pouted.

"_You_ get to escape to school every day. Mom's stuck here with him… why is he being so darned ornery?"

"He was like this the last time… remember? When he had food poisoning two years ago, he came back as grouchy as a badger-dog with a thorn up its butt. I suspect that it's his way of asserting his 'alpha' status."

"Couldn't he just pee on the boundary markers and call it even?" Kagome muttered, causing her brother to collapse in a fit of giggles.

"I've located more possibilities, Mr. Sota… ah! Hello, Aunt," Tenmaru greeted, crossing the courtyard towards them with a dusty wooden crate in his arms.

"Er, hello, Nephew… what do you have there?" she asked.

"We are pillaging the storerooms for written records that mention the Shikon-no-Tama," the disguised dog-hanyou replied. "This is the third box so far."

Kagome crossed her fingers. "I hope there's an answer in there. If I can harness the Jewel's power to help save lives, both human and youkai, then it'll be worth the trouble it's causing."

Sota opened the limo's trunk and helped Tenmaru slide the crate into place beside two other equally elderly boxes. Picking out a file folder, he waved it at Kagome. "These are Great-Grandfather's papers; I hoped there might be a clue in his family histories."

As he wedged the folder between two of the crates and straightened, Tenmaru asked, "How did you explain your facial injuries to Mr. Higurashi?"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Pretty much the same story as we told Miss Karin's people… and that set off a tirade about the Western House breaking its promise to protect us."

Tenmaru shuddered. "Glad I missed it."

"It was fucking _classic _rant," growled a fourth voice, and they turned to regard Sha, standing at the top of the stairs leading to the storeroom complex with his arms folded over his chest.

"Sometimes less-than-exceptional hearing is an advantage," the younger hanyou grinned.

"Ready to go, Kagome?" Sha sharply demanded.

"I, er, guess so. I have to grab my textbooks, because they only sent my clothes this morning."

"I'll come with you; no one should have to enter the war zone alone," Sota said. "Besides, you ought to say goodbye to Miss Buyo… she's taken refuge in my room."

As the siblings entered the house, Tenmaru glanced up in time to see Sha's longing expression. Rapidly crossing the courtyard, he bounded up the steps to join his uncle. At risk of having his head bitten off, he murmured, "I believe that Aunt would have a greater chance of success if you were less truculent."

"You sound like your old man." When Tenmaru merely nodded agreeably, Sha muttered an expletive under his breath. "None of you understand…."

"That you cannot express your affection and concern for Aunt without risking death? I saw what happened to Brother last night; I _do_ understand your frustration, Uncle."

The elder hanyou rubbed his hand over his face. "Maybe I'm destined to become human after all," he said resignedly.

"Unlikely," Tenmaru quickly retorted. "Since the Jewel is inside her, it is out of your reach to wish upon… and I strongly doubt Aunt would agree to this course of action."

"If I were human, we'd have similar life spans."

Tenmaru blinked rapidly as he absorbed Sha's words. "You might still have to watch her die," he cautioned.

"Thanks for that cheerful thought, brat."

At that moment, a guardsman who had been helping in the search for scrolls approached the pair. "Lord Sha? We possibly have a problem."

"What kind of 'problem'?"

"Remember the 'haunted hibachi'?"

"Oh, yeah… the frog-youkai. What's up?"

"The seals seem to be weakening, because a crack has developed in the container."

"Keh. A little taste of Tetsusaiga ought to solve the problem," Sha smirked, already reaching for the carrying bag strapped across his back.

"Perhaps it would be better for Aunt to purify it, rather than risking more damage to the Shrine?" Tenmaru hastily suggested.

Sha dropped his hand. "You're fucking determined to take _all_ the fun out of my life, aren't you?"

Tenmaru shot him a look before hailing Kagome as she emerged from the house, a yellow backpack slung over her shoulder and another heavy bag in her hand. "Aunt! We have a purification job for you!"

The young woman dropped her bags next to the limo and jogged towards them. As she ascended the stairs, she said, "I don't have any arrows, and my bow is missing."

"It must have been left behind on Oshima Island; if there's anything left of it, the clean-up crews will bring it back with them. Who had it last?"

Sha looked suspiciously innocent. "Ya don't really need arrows for a job like this, do you? You can channel your power into your hands, right? All you gotta do is touch the container to fry the frog."

When she nodded, the guardsman bowed. "This way, my lady," he said, standing aside and indicating the open doorway. Sha and Tenmaru followed Kagome at a safe distance, stopping when she halted just outside the room.

"Could you bring it outside for me? It's kind of crowded in there."

"The shield spells are very strong; we dare not touch it," the trooper replied.

She nodded. "Right… it hurt one of you last week, didn't it?" Ducking into the room, Kagome exchanged a few pleasantries with the other guardsmen before staggering back outside with what appeared to be a tall, turned-wood bowl in her arms. "It's _heavy_," she huffed, awkwardly kneeling on the planking in order to set it down safely. Both hanyou drew as near as they dared while she tilted the container to inspect the thickly-layered sutras covering the exterior. "Tsukumo-no-Gama?"

"The 'Shadow-Stealing Frog?" Tenmaru wondered.

"Mrs. Higurashi told us about it last Friday," Sha said. "It's an 800-year-old frog demon that preyed on maidens." He noted the crack that the guardsmen had mentioned, as well as the crackling blue mesh overlaying the aged wood.

Kagome frowned lightly. "Um, how am I supposed to purify it through the sutras?"

"Er, no idea," Tenmaru sheepishly admitted while Sha shuffled his feet.

"Maybe I should do some research first?"

"The risk is that crack might widen in the meantime, and the sutra would no longer be able to contain the frog-youkai," the youngest hanyou pointed out. "If he or she is truly that old, then they would indeed be a formidable opponent."

Sha let out a snort. "If he's been sealed inside that thing for five centuries, he isn't gonna be _that _much of a challenge!" he said scornfully.

His nephew gave him a cool look. "According to Father, you were in _fine_ form when you awakened from your sealing. The Tsukumo-no-Gama might be spoiling for a fight."

"And I can't use Tetsusaiga. _Damn_."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the bickering. "Um, hello? Still not sure how to deal with this thing…!"

Sha suddenly adopted a bland expression. "Why don't we take it into the forest?" he suggested.

Tenmaru and Kagome exchanged glances. "Why?" asked the younger hanyou. In reply, Sha reached up and patted the carrying case that hid his sword. "You're _incorrigible_," Tenmaru sighed. "What do you say to this, Aunt?"

"Taking it away from the house sounds like a good idea," she reluctantly admitted. "But, I'm afraid that I might drop it on the way."

"Gimme a minute." Sha darted into the storeroom.

"After what's happened the last few days, I _don't_ think that we should borrow trouble," Tenmaru opined.

Before Kagome could reply, Sha reappeared with a rustling tarp slung over his arm. "Look, I didn't even get in a shot at Naraku last night; _you_ were the one who finished him off," he growled. Quickly folding the tarp into a carrying sling, he impatiently beckoned to Kagome. "Bring that thing over here; the brat and I can carry it between us."

"You truly think _that_ omission justifies taking a risk like this?" his nephew demanded, uneasily watching the hibachi being packed up.

"With both of us right there, what can possibly go wrong?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**Random Household Trivia: **_Tatami_ mats are produced from highly-compacted rice straw overlaid with a woven mat of igusa rushes and bound by strips of fabric. They're usually about two inches thick, and the standard size is roughly three feet by six feet. Rooms are sized by how many mats are required to cover the floors; for instance, four-and-a-half mats cover a small square room (roughly eighty square feet) and create a pleasing visual pattern with the light-coloured mats and their dark binding. Larger rooms are sized as six-, eight-, or ten-tatami and each has a pre-set decorative layout to enhance the rooms' aesthetic appeal. Single mats can be pressed into service as sleeping pallets.

The rushes absorb moisture in the air, and release it back into the atmosphere when they dry. The mats can smell 'swampy' if they are used in a typical tightly-sealed Western house and end up absorbing too much moisture with no way to release it; they are meant for the somewhat draftier Asian home that 'breathes', which leads us to…

_Kotatsu_ tables are nifty inventions that keep you from freezing in those poorly-insulated Japanese homes, which generally lack central heating (and air conditioning). They are composed of a low table frame that is draped with a thick quilt (or thin futon; take your pick of terminology) which is then covered by a wooden top. Modern _kotatsu_ have an electric heater attached on the underside of the table frame; traditional ones had either a brazier or were arranged over a lined fire pit, which certainly increased the risk of burns. In the summers, the covering quilt/futon is removed.

The _kotatsu_ usually has pride of place in the main room and is an efficient method of space heating. People tuck their legs under the quilt to do homework, eat meals, watch television… even slide under it for naps, as in the _Fruits Basket_ manga when Kyo and Yuki are found snoring under the _kotatsu_ by Tohru and Shigure. In the _InuYasha_ manga, there are several scenes showing the Higurashi family gathered around one, including Chpt. 392; on page 12, Grandpa H is depicted reading his newspaper at the skirted _kotatsu _while Inuyasha runs laps around him.

Chpt 392 of _IY_ also shows one of the tall chests of drawers mentioned in this chapter; Mrs. Higurashi has one in her bedroom on page 5, and a similar cabinet is visible in the Tendo home in _Ranma ½. _The Kamiya house in _Rurouni Kenshin_ is also equipped with one.


	17. Perseverance

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _InuYasha_; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **_So_ sorry for the long wait for this chapter! Thanks very much for your patience!

**Bouquets **to my lovely betas, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose; without their help, this chapter would still be languishing in the Hutch.

**Warnings: **Coarse language

**The Price**

**Chapter Seventeen: Perseverance**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**About forty minutes later…**_

"'What could go wrong?' he says… 'It's been sealed for 500 years,' he says… 'How tough can it be?' he says…."

"_Shaddup_, brat."

Nursing his shoulder wound, Tenmaru shot his uncle a mutinous look. "If Aunt hadn't been there, this encounter could have had a _very_ different outcome."

"I _know_," Sha muttered, picking a glistening thread of mucous out of his black hair and tossing it into the bushes, where it promptly slithered to the ground in a squirming heap.

"How're the ribs?"

"Tolerable… unlike a certain nephew." Both hanyou carefully watched the brightly glowing young woman trudging silently ahead of them, her clothing glazed with slimy ash; by unspoken accord, they made up for her lack of participation in the conversation. "Hope the old geezer doesn't notice this thing's gone bust," Sha said, hefting one of the broken halves of the wooden hibachi, its corroded copper lining resembling a worn layer of green paint.

"We'll have to ask Mr. Sota to remove it from the inventory lists," Tenmaru suggested.

"Finding a replacement might be easier."

When they reached the fence, Kagome slid through the crossbars without a backwards glance. Sha winced and held his breath as he followed suit, his injured ribs bitterly complaining. Just as he straightened up and stepped aside for Tenmaru, Sota appeared around the corner of the house and loped towards them, sword in hand. Intercepting his sister, the teen stooped to peer under her concealing bangs.

"Are you okay?" he softly asked. When Kagome clenched her fists at her side and shook her head, Sha and Tenmaru stopped in their tracks. Casting the two spell-concealed hanyou a quick glance, Sota moved closer. "What's the matter, Sis?"

Kagome raised her hands palms upward, displaying the vivid red grooves dug into the pale skin. "I wanted to use these hands to save people's lives… but all I've done so far is destroy," she rasped.

"That's not true, Aunt," Tenmaru interrupted, taking a step forward. "You saved Lady Buyo's life."

"If I tried that now, I'd kill her," she mumbled, and then the storm broke. Sota caught the sobbing young woman in a fierce hug, holding her tightly as if to shield her from the pain. Tenmaru closed his eyes and bowed his head, but Sha watched with a shadowed expression as someone else comforted his distraught wife.

Sota whispered gentle words into Kagome's sticky hair as he soothingly rocked her in his arms. It was a long time before she pushed away and wiped at her face; he brushed her bangs out of her eyes and asked, "What can we do to help?"

"Nothing… I have to figure this out on my own."

"All by yourself? Forget that; there must be _something_," he argued.

Smearing at her eyes, Kagome tried to think past the helpless static filling her brain, but the effort was too much. "I-I'm so confused right now," she admitted. "I was _so_ sure I had found a path earlier this morning, when I talked to Lord Nishiki… but now…."

"You're not alone, Sis," Sota declared. "Let us help you carry this load."

"I wish you could," she morosely replied.

"What changed?"

"That frog-youkai… we assumed that he was evil, but maybe if we'd given him a chance…."

"The slippery creep was sealed away because he'd been devouring young women's souls," Sha growled. "He wasn't exactly the talking type either because he went straight for you!"

Tenmaru cleared his throat, shooting Sha a warning look. "I agree that this situation might have been handled better, Aunt, but consider this; what if the seal had broken while you were elsewhere? The Tsukumo-no-Gama's targets might have included your lady mother… and imagine the mayhem if he had escaped the shrine grounds and begun attacking innocent women in the neighbourhood!"

Sota pulled Kagome close. "It doesn't matter whether an evil youkai falls to a sword or to your spiritual powers… in the end, you're saving lives, Sis."

Sniffling loudly, she murmured, "When did you get so smart?"

"I dunno… must have had a good example or something," he grinned before turning serious. "I meant it when I said you gotta let us help you." Jerking his head in the direction of the two hanyou, he added, "Put these guys to work."

"Just _us_, whelp?" Sha demanded. "What about you?"

The teen drew himself up, a glint in his eye. "I've been assigned to Miss Karin as Lord Nishiki's 'liaison officer'."

"No _way_."

"_Yes_ way," Sota smirked, then sobered again as he addressed his sister. "Remember when I suggested that you talk to Lady Kikyo? Maybe you could try meditation."

"How's _that_ going to help?"

"Well, they say it's good for reaching 'enlightenment'," he said. "Getting in touch with your 'inner being' and all that. If you think of Lady Kikyo as your 'inner being' and work on 'enlightening' her with the truth about the day that she died, maybe she'll stop freaking out over silver-haired youkai and the Jewel will settle down."

"It's worth a try," Sha encouraged.

Tenmaru suddenly smacked his fist into his open palm. "I just figured out a way that I can assist, Aunt. I will ask Father's secretary to scan the contents of the scrolls that we're taking home, I can look for clues to the 'right wish' tomorrow while we attend your classes."

Sota nodded, then gave Sha a challenging look. "Any ideas, brother-in-law?"

Sha arched a dark eyebrow. "I'm a fighter, not a thinker, but if you tell me what you need, I'll do it."

"Thanks," Kagome said, managing a watery smile at her hanyou. "How's your grasp of the human nervous system? I just remembered that I have a project due on Friday."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Upon their return to Western House, Tenmaru carted the crates of scrolls into the main building while Kagome and Sha made their way through the garden to Wisteria House. They'd barely removed their shoes and coats in the foyer before a runner galloped up the stairs and brightly informed them that dinner would be served shortly.

"I have so much reading to catch up on… and that project," Kagome muttered unhappily.

"Dinners during the week aren't elaborate; at least, they weren't the last time I lived here," Sha amended, carrying her backpack and book bag into the main room and dropping them next to the _kotatsu_.

"Mrs. Nishino did say that she'd accommodate my schedule; besides, I don't really feel up to cooking even miso soup tonight," she admitted as she followed.

"You can have the bath first," Sha suggested. "That frog-youkai slobber you're covered in is really starting to smell."

Kagome pulled forward a clumped handful of hair to inspect the now-crunchy strands and grimaced. "That was easily the most disgusting experience of my life so far; thank goodness I only experienced the inside of his mouth instead of his stomach, too!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Dressed in clean _yukata _after their baths, Kagome and Sha followed the runner into the main house. "Wouldn't it be more convenient to just phone us?" Kagome wondered in an undertone as they took off their sandals in the foyer.

"Tradition," Sha replied, making sure the _magatama_ on his concealment anchor was centred on its cord. "There's quite a bit of it around the place."

"I'm afraid I'll do something wrong," she fretted.

"Don't… they cope with me," he assured.

In the main room, they were seated on thick cushions around the _kotatsu_; Kagome gratefully tucked her legs beneath the silken quilt, mindful to leave a buffer between herself and Sha. They were shortly joined by Sesshiro and Tenmaru; as they exchanged greetings, the cushion next to the youngest hanyou remained empty, and Kagome swallowed hard. "How is Tsugane?" she managed to croak.

"He is steadily improving," Sesshiro answered.

"We have begun scanning the documents, Aunt," Tenmaru announced. "I'll load the first set onto my laptop and we're set for tomorrow."

Mrs. Nishino arrived at that moment, along with several servants bearing trays of food and drinks. As platters of meat and bowls of vegetables were set on the table, she served the rice. Neatly mounding a scoop of the steaming grains into a bamboo frond-adorned bowl before handing it to Sesshiro, she directed her first question towards Kagome and Tenmaru. "Shall I make bento for you tomorrow?"

"Probably a good idea," Tenmaru said, sniffing appreciatively at the meat before adding several slices to his plate. "Patronizing the _izakaya _is risky, since I am Aunt's sole guardian until Brother recovers."

"You will have backup," Sesshiro interjected. "Extra units have already been assigned."

"Including _me,_" Sha declared. Turning to the housekeeper, he flashed an engaging smile. "Save the bento for the _hanami_ picnic in a few weeks."

"Very well, Lord Sha," the dog-youkai beamed.

Kagome and Tenmaru exchanged glances. "Uncle, are you sure? Aunt's classes are fairly mind-numbing for the non-medically inclined," he objected.

"I didn't say anything about hanging out in her classroom, did I?" Sha coolly replied, helping himself to a plate of green beans sprinkled with sesame seeds. "My schedule is flexible."

Tenmaru blinked several times, but instead of pursuing this line of conversation, he instead addressed his father. "What are the plans regarding Miss Mifune?"

"The president of her college was easily persuaded to permit extra security on the campus," the taiyoukai said. "The promise of a new library wing did wonders for his compliance." Looking directly at Kagome, he added, "Your brother will also have bodyguards upon his return to classes."

"Thank you, Elder Brother," Kagome earnestly replied just as Tenmaru frowned at his dinner.

"When does Grandmother arrive?" he asked.

"After her Mediterranean cruise, she's off to cooking school in Tuscany," Sesshiro answered. Noting Kagome's curiosity, he added for her benefit, "My lady mother is quite the world traveller; she will return to Western House in about four weeks' time."

"We'll have moved out by then!" Sha declared emphatically.

"Uncle exaggerates," Tenmaru said dismissively. "Grandmother isn't _that_ bad."

"Says her favourite grandson," Sha sniffed. "Don't you get tired of being called 'darling Ten-ten'?"

"My lady mother has always accommodated my wife's incarnations, Brother, and you must admit that she has mellowed towards you."

"Only took her seven hundred years," the hanyou retorted. "Hurry up and court Miss Mifune, already; might as well give the haughty old bitch _two_ things to howl about."

Sesshiro's eyebrow _might_ have twitched over the less-than-flattering term applied to his parent, but instead he contemplated the middle distance. "Four weeks or less will be a challenge," he said, half under his breath. The other three stared at him.

"Father?" Tenmaru nervously asked. "You surely aren't considering…?"

Sha jabbed a long finger across the table. "You don't want your mother taking over!" he barked. The taiyoukai suddenly looked shifty, and Kagome was startled by what appeared to be a faint blush staining Sesshiro's cheekbones.

Tenmaru drummed his fingertips on the table. "There would be some advantages to presenting Grandmother with a _fait accompli_… and make it easier from a security standpoint if Miss Mifune were to move here…."

"The old bitch wouldn't know whether to crap or go blind!" Sha crowed, looking far happier about the prospect of the lady's return than he had only a few moments before.

"Having Miss Mifune here would also assist Aunt," Tenmaru mused. "Companionship, study partners, etcetera."

"I don't have _that_ much in common with Miss Mifune," Kagome protested. "She's an heiress and I'm definitely _not_."

"She has also suffered the traumatic loss of family," the young hanyou quietly pointed out. "You are both reincarnations who have been reunited with your destined partners, and you are both humans entering a youkai household. I'd say you have some fairly significant things in common."

Kagome gave him a weary look. "Quit being so right all of the time, Nephew."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

After dinner, Sha and Sesshiro settled down to a game of _Go_ that included far more conversational trash-talking than Kagome was positive would be permitted in a serious salon. _I guess I'll go back to Wisteria House and start my reading_… _and figure out how to complete that project before Friday. _

"Lady Kagome? Would you be so kind as to accompany me into the kitchen?" Mrs. Nishino asked and she obeyed, only to be pumped for information on her favourite foods and flavourings. The genial interrogation continued for several minutes, until the housekeeper abruptly changed the topic by saying, "Lord Tsugane has asked for you, my lady."

"Er…."

The dog-youkai's dark eyes twinkled. "Don't worry… we've solved his lack of a concealment spell the old-fashioned way."

_Old-fashioned way?_ Following Mrs. Nishino down a long, wooden-floored corridor and through a room furnished with a large sectional couch and an enormous flat-screen television taking up much of one wall, Kagome didn't have long to wonder.

A _fusuma_ decorated with a poster of scantily-clad 'race queen' posing next to a flashy sports car made it fairly obvious which brother inhabited this particular room. Mrs. Nishino slid open the door and beckoned her inside. "Lady Kagome to see you, my lord," she announced, then slipped between the semi-sheer panels of a room-dividing screen hanging from a framework.

Kagome squinted, but was unable to make out anything more than silhouettes on the other side of the obscuring panels. _This'll work!_ Glancing around the visible part of Tsugane's room while the housekeeper fussed over her patient, she couldn't help but grin. _This is so totally 'him', it isn't funny!_ Traditional pale _tatami_ mats contrasted with boldly coloured Western furniture, and the walls were adorned with more large-format posters of customized cars draped with pretty girls in provocative poses.

Partially obscured by the hanging screens, a lone ink painting mounted on embroidered silk depicted a beautiful young woman framed by flowers. _That's… Miss Mifune?_ Moving closer to the artwork, Kagome admired the way the artist had brought his subject to life with a few simple strokes. _This must be Tsugane's mother; she looks older in this picture, but it's __definitely__ Miss Mifune._

"Isn't that a lovely piece? Master Kiyone truly captured the Lady Rin's very essence." Lowering her voice, Mrs. Nishino added, "Lord Tsugane is still very weak, my lady. Even if he insists, please do not remain over-long."

"Dammit, woman, I _heard_ that!" rasped a barely-recognizable voice, and Mrs. Nishino gave Kagome a pleading glance before whisking out of the room. Once she was gone, Tsugane grated out, "Hey, Mishi… how's it going?"

"Ichiko." Dropping to her knees, she bowed her head to the _tatami_. "I'm so, so _sorry_…."

"Knock it off, Auntie," came his rough admonition. "It wasn't like you were in control of the Jewel."

"But…."

"_This wasn't your fault_, Mishi. Don't make me come out there and _harisen_ you." The effort cost him; Kagome winced at his wracking cough as she sat upright.

"Okay, okay," she hastily agreed, mainly to stop Tsugane from becoming more agitated.

"You're still glowing," he commented a few moments later. "You sure about going back to class?"

"If I don't, we're both toast," Kagome pointed out. "Term-end exams are just over a month away and I've missed three days already. That human nervous system project is due on Friday."

Tsugane chuckled deep in his throat. "Now _that_ sounds more like my Mishi."

"Are you in pain?" she softly asked.

"The Jewel packs one helluva punch," he sighed. "It doesn't hit as hard as Father during training, though. I've been in worse shape, believe it or not."

"I find that _very_ hard to believe."

"Are you telling Aunt fairy stories again?" Tenmaru asked as he entered the room, two parcels under his arm.

"At least mine are _true_."

"Of _course_ they are, Brother," the younger hanyou glibly agreed. "Why are you kneeling on the floor, Aunt? There's plenty of seating." She didn't have time to respond before he dragged two bean-bag chairs across the room.

"Did you find the right one?" Tsugane hoarsely demanded.

"_Yes_." Tenmaru rolled his eyes for Kagome's benefit as he plopped into the other chair. "I even found the all-important decals to put on it, as per your request." Handing the puzzled young woman one of the parcels, he said, "This is for you, since Brother has plans to turn you into his personal assistant."

Kagome wriggled deeper into the rustling chair before opening the cloth-wrapped bundle and discovered a shimmering metallic pink laptop inside a cushioned sleeve, its lid patterned with familiar floral crests. "Wow!" she exclaimed as the screen came to life.

"It's ready to go, Aunt," Tenmaru said. "Here… let me disable the webcam until Brother is back to normal. We don't want to find out if the Jewel is touchy enough to react to _images_ of silver-haired youkai!"

She frowned lightly as he toggled off the visual option. "I hadn't thought of that. Um… why pink? It's pretty and all, but isn't your house colour dark blue?"

"Yes, _your_ house colour is blue, but the pink matches your aura," Tsugane said before he erupted in a coughing fit. When he could speak again, he added, "I figured that this way I can listen in on lectures through the microphone and instant message you if I want to ask a question. How's your typing speed?"

"Um, fast enough… I guess?"

"If you can type the notes instead of writing them out, then they'll be easy to transfer onto my computer. Beats hauling around that over-stuffed backpack, you have to admit."

Kagome smoothed her hands over the laptop's slick casing. "This is great… thank you very much." Inspecting her softly-glowing coating of spiritual energy, she asked, "Do you think this is going to work tomorrow? We have quite a few hanyou classmates."

"Who will all keep their distance as soon as your presence pings on their senses," Tsugane scratchily assured. "The family crest on both your jacket and the laptop reinforces the 'hands off' message."

Tenmaru rubbed his chin. "I agree with Mr. Sota; I'll bet that as soon as you find inner peace, so will the Jewel."

"Do you think meditation might help?"

"Can't hurt to try."

"I've never been very good at the whole 'emptying your mind' thing," Kagome confessed. "Coach Sagara insisted that we all meditate before practise, but I could never seem to find a 'happy place'. Instead, I'd be planning on what flavour of _mochi_ ice cream to buy afterwards with Abihime." She drooped for a moment at the mention of her friend before clapping her hands to her cheeks in appalled surprise. "_Omigosh!_ I missed practice today! Coach is gonna _skin_ me!"

"He'll have to go through Uncle first," Tenmaru commented.

"On Saturday, Sha told Coach Sagara that we were in negotiations for him to become my 'corporate sponsor', but three days later, he'll be identifying himself as my new husband? How's _that_ gonna work?"

Tsugane coughed painfully again before croaking, "The death of your closest friend on the team gives you an honourable excuse to step back for a while."

Her expression clouded, and Tenmaru hastily inquired, "Which reason would you prefer that Uncle or Father give when they speak to him? Your recent marriage or Miss Tekkaido?"

Sighing deeply, she murmured, "It really doesn't matter, because he would have called the shrine when I missed practice; he's a stickler for attendance and I not only skipped today but left the competition on Saturday without permission. We'd better check with my mother to see if he's contacted her… not to mention find out what she told him."

"I'm looking forward to the day when our lives become less complicated," Tenmaru said, then immediately smiled to take the sting out of his words.

"Speaking of that, what about those reporters who showed up here on Sunday?"

"Our communications officer gave out a press release stating that the House of the West's only connection to Miss Tekkaido was through our repair company, which was called in to deal with a malfunctioning air-conditioning system." Tenmaru cocked his head towards the hanging screens, listening intently. After a moment, he held a finger up to his lips and motioned that they should leave.

As quietly as possible, the duo gathered their things and tip-toed out, the young hanyou guiding the _fusuma_ closed on well-greased tracks. Ushering Kagome across the entertainment room, he stopped at the hallway entrance. "Brother's improvement is remarkable, Aunt. He was only able to acknowledge your brother's presence earlier today, not speak with him."

"I'm scared that his wounds will be permanent," Kagome whispered. "He was _so_ badly burned by my spiritual power…."

"The _Jewel's _spiritual power," he promptly corrected. "We all know that you would never, ever harm Brother if you were able to exert any control over it."

Kagome lifted her chin. "I'm going to do my best to make sure it _never_ happens again."

"That's the spirit, Aunt. Good night." He bowed and crossed the room towards another _fusuma_, this one also decorated with a car poster… but this one was minus the neon and half-naked women. Instead, a sleek, steel-coloured sports car posed on a glacier.

_I wonder if he has a portrait of 'his' mother on the wall, and how the subject differs in appearance from Ichiko's? _ Kagome filed that question away as she padded down the hall, pausing to wish Mrs. Nishino and the kitchen staff good night. A few moments later, when she hesitated on the threshold of the main room, both Sha and Sesshiro immediately looked up from their game. Bowing, she said, "Please excuse me; I'm going to do some reading for class tomorrow."

"I'll walk you over." Sha was already half-way to his feet when she flapped her hand.

"No, no; it's only across the garden. I'm sure that I won't get lost!" At his concerned look, she added, "I'll be fine… besides, I don't want to interrupt your game."

"Especially since you are winning… for once," Sesshiro drawled, and Sha plunked back down.

"I'll be there shortly," he said, his eyes already on the game board.

"No hurry. Watching someone read a textbook is about as thrilling as paint drying," she wryly commented.

"You are interested in traditional medicine?" Sesshiro abruptly queried.

"Er, yes?"

"Miss Mifune's housekeeper has a son who is a specialist in the field. A position in his clinic may be possible."

"Thank you, Elder Brother. That would be most appreciated!" Bowing again, she made her exit, but not before Mrs. Nishino intercepted her in the foyer and insisted that she don a shawl over her lined kimono jacket for the short trip.

"I've sent Hana on ahead to set up your futons; if you have homework to do, don't let her stay and chat your ear off!"

"All right… good night, and thank you."

"Sleep well, my lady," the housekeeper said gaily. "Breakfast will be served at 7:00 am; I believe that your first class is at 9:00?" At Kagome's nod, she added, "See you in the morning." As the young woman stepped out onto the veranda, Mrs. Nishino muttered, "I think it's time to connect Wisteria House to the main pavilion; running across the garden in the rainy season will become old rather fast!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome met Hana in the foyer; the dog-youkai bowed, a laundry bag under her arm. "Good evening, my lady. If you would like the futons set up differently, please let me know."

"Um… thank you. I will."

Hana flashed a cheerful smile, stepped into her shoes and disappeared through the carved wooden door, leaving Kagome alone in the suddenly-echoing house. Shivering, she deposited the laptop on the _kotatsu's _wooden top before hastening down the hallway to inspect the futon layout and came up short in the doorway of her room. Her quilt-covered futon occupied the centre of the _tatami_ mats in solitary glory, looking very small in comparison to the size of the room. A boxy floor lamp, made to resemble an antique candle lantern, bathed the colourful bed covering in soft light, and her alarm clock had been placed on a small tray near her pillow, along with a carafe of water and a cup.

_It's so different from home._

A thread of acute loneliness wrapped around her; she hastily stripped out of the _yukata_ and donned her kitten-adorned pink pyjamas. Folding the discarded garment more-or-less neatly, she left it beside the chest of drawers and rooted around for her fuzzy socks and a sweater. Donning the warm items, Kagome sat on the edge of the futon and considered her new surroundings. _This room is __so__ big; I wonder if I could ask for some folding screens? I'm not used to all this space!_

Acknowledging the other differences, tears stung the corners of her eyes. _Right now I'd be bugging Sota, talking to Mom and saying 'good night' to Grandpa. I'd pick up Miss Buyo and go upstairs to study, but even when my door was closed, the house was full of life_. Somewhere overhead the ceiling creaked, and Kagome hugged herself. Making an instant decision, she darted out of the bedroom and down the hall to the main room, where she quickly located the telephone. Punching in the familiar number, she hopped from foot to foot while it rang.

"Higurashi residence."

"Mom?"

"Kagome? Hello, dear!" When the young woman completely choked up and was unable to do more than emit a strangled whimper, Yayoi immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing," she managed. "I just…."

Her mother's tone instantly softened. "Yes?"

"I really needed to talk to you." Kagome hated how desperate and childish she sounded, but couldn't help herself.

A little light went off in Yayoi's head. "Your first night in your new home is a bit overwhelming, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah."

"I remember my first night here at the shrine… new people to get used to, new smells, new sounds… your father did his best, but it didn't feel like home."

Kagome let out the breath she hadn't realized that she was holding. "I really miss you," she said wistfully. "It's _nice_ here, and everything, but it's so _quiet_ and I don't know where anything is…."

Yayoi's voice was full of warmth. "Oh, sweetie… it'll get better, I promise. It takes a little time, that's all. Where's Sha?"

"He's playing _Go_ with Lord Nishiki in the main house. I came back to study, but…."

"'Main house'…?"

"Wisteria House is a separate building inside Western House's gardens," she replied. "It's really beautiful."

"You'll think of it as 'yours' soon enough." Yayoi's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "I miss you, because if it weren't for Miss Buyo, I'd be outnumbered!"

"Mom…." Just as a tiny sob threatened to slip past her lips, the receiver abruptly changed hands.

"Hey, Sis! It's only been four hours since you left, an' you're already lonely?" Sota teased. "Want me to send your panda _yutanpo_ over with one of the guardsmen?" Before she could respond, he said, "Hang on a sec; Miss Buyo wants to say 'hi', too." A moment after that, Kagome's ear was vibrated by the sound of enthusiastic purring.

"Thank you, Miss Buyo," she croaked. "I really wish I could hug you right now." There was a querying meow before Sota came back on the line.

"Gramps is in the _tatami_ room, so she can't transform," he whispered, then more loudly said, "Why don't you invite us over for tea on Sunday and show off your new place to Mom and Gramps?"

"That's a great idea!"

"Of _course_ it is, because _I_ thought of it," he smugly retorted. "So… about my suggestion…?"

"I need to find someone who can teach me _how_ to meditate, first."

"Funny you should say that, because I just might have a solution… but you'll have to wait until Sunday. Hey, have a good day tomorrow!"

"I'll do my best… and don't _you_ slack off in your studies even though you're home all week!"

"I'm ready to go back tomorrow, but Mom won't let me say that I was attacked by rogue ninja, so I have to wait until the cuts are healed up. That ointment of Mrs. Nishino's is really great stuff, by the way. She could market it and make a bundle!"

Yayoi reclaimed the telephone. "Shall we visit on Sunday?"

"Yes, please. Oh! I was able to speak to Tsugane tonight!"

"That's _wonderful_, dear. How is he?"

"_Much_ better, thank goodness. Um, did Coach Sagara call tonight? I missed practice."

"He did; your grandfather fielded the call."

"Uh-oh… what did he tell him?"

"That you were on your honeymoon and he couldn't say when you'd be returning."

A strong sense of loss welled up inside Kagome. "It just wouldn't be the same without Abihime…."

"I'm sure that you could return to the sport once you feel ready." After a pause for Kagome to mull over her words, Yayoi continued, "I'm also sure that in a day or two, all the strangeness of your new situation will have disappeared."

"I hope so, Mom. Thanks… love you."

"Love you, too. Good night, dear. Sweet dreams!"

Kagome listened to the line crackle for a moment longer before replacing the receiver, feeling slightly better but still terribly missing the warmth and familiarity of her own bedroom in her own house. _Mom's right, though. This is my home now, and I have to get used to it._ Squaring her shoulders, she went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea, then carried the steaming brew into the main room. Turning on the heater beneath the _kotatsu_, she arranged the insulating quilt over her lap and sorted through her textbooks until she found the one she wanted. Settling in to read and practice note-taking using the laptop's word processing program, she successfully distracted herself from her lonely thoughts.

Sha still hadn't returned by the time Kagome wrapped up her homework a couple of hours later. _Lord Nishiki must be making him fight for every point._ Organizing her backpack for the next day, she debated the wisdom of retiring her bulging binder. _There'll be diagrams to copy, so I'd better take some loose paper anyways._ Flipping open the laptop with the intention of shutting it off, she discovered that her new email icon was blinking. Opening the message, she shook her head at the cheeky message.

_I'm counting on you to get 'A's for both of us, Mishi._

_-Ichiko_

Snickering, she typed:

_I'm not doing your project for you, buster, so get to work!_

_-Mishi_

Hitting 'send', she powered down, carefully zippered the machine into its sleeve and then slipped it between two textbooks for safety. As she contemplated Tsugane's gift, she had a small epiphany. _I haven't __really__ lost my family; in fact, I've gained… and the new bunch is pretty awesome._

Turning off the heater under the table, she left the light on for Sha and put her cup in the sink. After brushing her teeth, she resolutely closed the _fusuma_ behind her, doffed her sweater and tucked herself into the comfortable futon… and promptly discovered the welcome presence of a _yutanpo_. Pulling the covered hot-water bottle into view, she grinned at the button eyes, perky ears and pink tongue of a fuzzy canine countenance before hugging it close. Checking her alarm and switching off the light, she snuggled into the pillow. _Not much point in waiting up for Sha, since I can't even give him a good-night kiss. _ As she listened to the night noises of the wooden house, and felt mildly sorry for herself, something else occurred to her. _Sha and I barely know each other, so maybe this 'do not touch' thing might __not__ be so bad? We can spend some time getting to know each other while I figure out how to control the Jewel_. Shifting around in the warmed bedding, she pouted lightly. _Not being able to even hug him really sucks, though. Only twenty-eight more sleeps until I can… for at least a few hours, anyways!_

Sha arrived almost an hour later, toeing out of his sandals in the foyer, his senses immediately caught by the warm spark of Kagome's aura emanating from the second bedroom. _There's gotta be __some__ way we can be together that doesn't involve acute bodily harm to either of us._ Turning off the light in the main room, he padded down the hallway and into his softly-lit room. While changing out of the _yukata_ and into a pair of flannel pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt, he considered his futon. The bedding was invitingly turned down, the pillow plumped, but he only contemplated their comforts for a moment before moving towards the dividing wall panels and quietly opening one.

Kagome was curled up into a ball under her quilt, only the crown of her head showing, along with a dark sweep of soft hair trailing over the _tatami_ mats. Faced with the choice of sleeping alone or staying by his wife's side, Sha hesitated for only a moment before collecting his quilt and Tetsusaiga from its display stand. Dousing the light, he slipped into her room and took a seat beside her futon. Wrapping the quilt around himself, he propped Tetsusaiga against his shoulder and prepared to sleep sitting up. _Haven't done this in centuries… not since the last time I had someone to protect._

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wednesday morning…**_

The alarm went off far earlier than Kagome would have liked; she groped clumsily for a moment before the shrill noise was silenced. However, her head had barely hit the pillow before her hair was gently pulled.

"Rise and shine," a welcome voice rumbled at close range, accompanied by another tug. "You don't want to be late."

"_Mmmrrrmmmph_," she grouched, burrowing further under the quilt. "Too cold out there."

"I agree; this room definitely isn't cozy. I'll deal with it today."

She peeked out to see Sha smiling down at her, a blanket draped over his shoulders with Tetsusaiga's hilt poking out of the wrapping. "Did you sit up all night?" she demanded.

"Yep," he replied, twirling a silky curl around his fingers. "Watching over you is part of my husbandly duties."

"I don't feel right, knowing that you're losing sleep over me," she fussed.

Sha smirked. "I'll enjoy a leisurely nap this afternoon while you're sweating over your textbooks."

"In other words, I should save my sympathies for someone more deserving," she grinned, then realized something. "You can touch me? My hair, at least?"

He held up the lock he had been fondling. "I wouldn't try this if you were standing up, though. It's apparently far enough away from your body when you're lying down that your aura doesn't reach the ends."

"It's a start," she softly murmured. "I should be able to return the favour." Sha merely nodded agreeably, but didn't take the hint and lie down beside her. "How was your game?" she yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"I ended up losing. Sess' grasp of strategy is _amazing_, but now that we're living here, I'll have more opportunities to kick his butt."

"Aside from plotting your brother's defeat, what are you going to do today?" Kagome asked, reluctantly sitting up and stretching as Sha rolled up onto his feet and moved towards the panels separating their rooms.

"I have some business to attend to before I join you for lunch."

"Business…?"

He gave her an amused look. "'Adamant Antiquities'… remember?"

Kagome turned pink. "Right. Wow. That entire conversation seems like it happened a hundred years ago instead of last week."

"Keh. D'you want me to find a replacement 'haunted hibachi' for your grandfather's benefit?"

"Without a bonus youkai tenant, please."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

An hour later, Sha and Sesshiro saw the pair off from the gravelled courtyard. As Tenmaru's car purred out of the gates and the rake-man sprang into action, the taiyoukai inquired, "Why didn't you go with them, Brother?"

"I have some things to do first, including attending a private pre-sale viewing of an estate auction. One of the lots is supposed to be a Heian _o-tachi_ sword in mint condition."

"Do you have a buyer for it?"

Sha flashed a toothy grin. "A _very_ wealthy weekend warrior."

Sesshiro curled his lip. "Gods preserve us. Another Minamoto-wannabe, no doubt."

"One of the Fujiwara shoguns; gotta give him points for authenticity." Sha's expression suddenly changed; narrowing his eyes, he gave his sibling a thorough once-over. Sesshiro's back stiffened, but he said nothing. "You're fucking with your concealment spell," the hanyou finally decided. When the taiyoukai remained silent and stone-faced, Sha snorted. "Just make sure that you don't age down so far that you could pass for the brats' older brother." Scowling, he added, "Miss Mifune's seen you without your spell, so what's the big deal?"

"I merely wish to make her feel comfortable in my presence."

"Better work on your charming personality instead of your looks." Ignoring Sesshiro's frosty glare, Sha shrugged. "Glacial silences aren't going to pique Miss Mifune's interest. Do you even know the latest music? And I sure as hell don't mean that '_Greatest Enka Hits_' CD you have playing in your study."

Sesshiro flinched. "Tenmaru downloaded something atrocious the other day; it sounded like two panther-youkai being eviscerated."

"Keh. _That _should've been music to your ears!"

"The infernal screeching is why they should be decapitated _first_."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Today went very well, Aunt," Tenmaru said with a satisfied air as they exited his car in Western House's parking garage. "Despite the amount of _youki_ in the room, the Jewel's reaction was remarkably restrained. You admirably maintained your composure."

"Except when Sha nearly gave me a heart attack when he showed up outside the classroom window!"

"He must have been up on the roof, because even _he_ can't jump that that high without taking a run at it… and that courtyard is too small for decent acceleration," the young dog-hanyou scoffed, retrieving an overstuffed manila envelope and his laptop from behind his seat. "I truly hope that tomorrow will be more productive in terms of researching this 'right wish' business."

"I admire your tenacity; some of those old documents made my eyes hurt just looking at them, never mind trying to decipher them," Kagome commented as she shifted her bag into a more comfortable position on her shoulder.

Tenmaru grunted non-commitally before waving the manila envelope. "Brother should be mightily entertained by all of his fan mail."

"That was absolutely _unbelievable_! I can't believe they all assumed that Tsugane and I were dating!"

"You were together nearly all the time," he pointed out. "It's lucky that he didn't know exactly how many ladies were envious of your apparent conquest, because his ego wouldn't have fit in the room." Riffling through the selection of small envelopes decorated with feminine handwriting and brightly coloured stickers as they crunched across the gravel, Tenmaru remarked, "It's just as well he was assumed unattainable… there's a very good reason why Father insisted that Brother anchor his concealment spell to his belt buckle."

Kagome gave him a sharp look. "Are you saying that my favourite nephew is a _real_ dog where women are concerned?"

Tenmaru pulled a mock-pout. "_He's_ your favourite? I'm wounded, Aunt." Opening the gate for her, he shrugged. "He's good-looking, intelligent, well-mannered and can afford to spoil a lady that takes his fancy… thereby achieving legendary rates of success with members of the fairer sex that allow themselves to be charmed."

"I had no idea… he was always a complete gentleman with me."

"He _is_ a gentleman when he decides to protect someone as opposed to pursue them. On that note, I also noted several downcast young men in the room when the professor announced your marriage."

Kagome made a face. "I totally wasn't prepared for _that_. Who do you think told him?"

"More than likely Father, when he had your absences excused, or perhaps Uncle… hullo, what's this?"

Piles of lumber were neatly stacked on the other side of the pond, and a wooden framework was rapidly taking shape. Wisteria House was obviously being connected to the main building via a raised, covered walkway, judging by the fluttering lines of surveyor's tape. Kagome pursed her lips. "Mrs. Nishino works fast… she only mentioned the idea last night."

"She tried for a hundred years before _that_ to convince my revered great-grandmother of the practicality of the idea," Tenmaru supplied.

"Er… won't the lady mind that Sha and I are living in her house?"

"No. The Lady Yukishina passed away nearly a century ago; Wisteria House has been used as guest accommodation ever since." When she followed him up the steps of the main house, Tenmaru stopped. "Aunt?"

Surprised, Kagome said, "I thought I'd see if Tsugane is up to a little brainstorming on that nervous system project."

Tenmaru shook his head. "You should spend some time with Uncle," he said, herding her back down the stairs.

"I really need to work on this assignment," she protested.

"Dog-youkai like to have their pack members nearby, and Uncle's short visit at lunch was constantly interrupted by Brother's admirers," he answered. "I also think that his fur was ruffled by all the young men who made a point of congratulating you."

"Sha _surely_ wasn't jealous… um, was he?"

Tenmaru smiled quietly. "Another thing about dog-youkai is that they're rather territorial when it comes to their spouses, and I suspect that it's driving Uncle crazy that he can't scent mark you."

The young woman blinked rapidly. "P-pardon?"

"Physically leave his scent on you for the benefit of other youkai. Perhaps you could wear one of his shirts or some other item of clothing after your bath so that his scent could transfer to your skin?" The dog-hanyou grinned broadly when he saw her suspiciously relieved expression. "You thought I meant _urinating_, didn't you!"

"That's how a _typical_ dog marks its territory, so how was I supposed to know?"

Tenmaru cackled gleefully as he bounded up the steps. "Wait until Brother hears this!"

A couple of hours later, when Kagome arrived in the main house for dinner, Tenmaru gave her an approving nod when he noticed that she was wearing a t-shirt which obviously belonged to his uncle under her _yukata_. Sha also looked quite pleased with the situation as he seated himself next to his wife. "Thanks for the suggestion, brat."

"Anything to keep you sweet, Uncle. Pass the teapot?" When Sha complied, Tenmaru added, "Brother is eager to talk to you, Aunt… but I think he's more interested in discussing your female classmates than your homework."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'll _bet_. He'd better put his libido on a leash, because this project is worth thirty percent of our mark."

That night, after she successfully badgered a rather-perky Tsugane into working on the assignment despite his best attempts to change the subject, Kagome further endeared herself to Sha by wearing his t-shirt to bed. "It's not as good as being in your arms," she mumbled self-consciously as she tucked herself under the covers, "but I can pretend."

The hanyou smiled crookedly as he closed the curtains of the old-fashioned canopied frame that now surrounded her futon and seated himself beside the mattress. "I used to hate the night of the new moon… now I can't wait until I can hold you again."

Rooting around under the quilt, Kagome retrieved the _yutanpo_ with its doggish cover. Displaying it, she said, "Here's your place-holder." Sha's gaze both softened and intensified; she blushed furiously as she easily followed the direction of his thoughts. _We could be __together__ that night. As husband and wife. L-lovers…._

"Only if you're ready, Kagome." Sha captured a dark curl and slowly rubbed his thumb over the gleaming strands while her stomach did flips… of excitement or nervousness, she wasn't exactly sure… while he merely looked thoughtful.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Two days later, late afternoon Friday…**_

"Thank goodness _that's_ over!" Kagome proclaimed dramatically, dropping her backpack next to the _kotatsu_ and flopping onto the _tatami_ mats.

"Handed in your project?" Sha asked from his vantage point in the kitchen, admiring her slim figure as she stretched her arms up over her head in a full-body stretch.

"And endured a pop quiz on the same topic. I think he was making sure that we really had done the assignment instead of copying it off the internet," she sighed, loosening the narrow scarf knotted at the neck of her long-sleeved t-shirt. "We were also given a new project on the skeletal structure of the hand due next Wednesday."

"What do you feel like doing tonight?" he asked, silently crossing the room.

"After the last two days of brain-frying homework? A long, hot bath followed by a nap. Eating. More sleeping… _eep!_" Sha crouched over her, his hands and knees bracketing her body but remaining safely outside the boundary delineated by her aura, his face only inches above hers. "You like to live dangerously, don't you?" she finally managed to say, her heart thumping madly.

"You're worth the risk," he replied quietly, his voice low and intimate.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed his black sidelocks brushing her shoulders. "The Jewel isn't reacting… to your hair, at least," she observed, sifting her fingers through the swaying strands.

Sha lazily toyed with the skinny tassels decorating the ends of her scarf as he purred, "So… is there any chance that I can convince you to come out on a date tonight?"

"Do married people 'date'?" she teased, while she tried to fathom his somewhat-unnerving dominant position and unreadable expression.

He laughed easily, but his spell-darkened eyes remained pensive. "We kinda did things backwards, so I thought we could spend some time together, doing what normal couples do."

"Such as…?"

"How does dinner and a movie sound?"

"Really, _really_ wonderful, but…."

"But?"

"What about the whole 'out in public' risk? 'Shikon Snack', remember?"

"Taken care of. The guardsmen have their escorts organized and reservations have been made. All you have to do is say…."

"Yes, I'd love to!" Mischievously pulling on his sidelocks, Kagome lifted her head off the _tatami_, but remembered just in time that kissing was impossible. As her face fell, Sha rolled to the side and reclined next to her on the springy mats, propping his chin on his fist. Pulling a small box out of his pocket, he set it on the mat between them. "What's this?" she asked.

"Open it," he urged. Kagome inspected the lacquered case, embellished with tasteful golden swirls on a dark red background. Lifting the lid, she let out a surprised but appreciative noise when a pair of matching rings was revealed. Sha closely watched the young woman's reaction as she picked up the smaller of the two chased golden bands and inspected the inlaid mother-of-pearl design. "What do you think?"

"They're beautiful," she breathed. "Are they for us?"

The way Kagome said 'us' went a long way to easing the tightness around Sha's heart that had been there for the past three days. "I found them while I was waiting for the hibachi to be fixed up so it looked more like the original," he said, nudging the box closer. "Try yours on."

Sliding the dainty band onto her finger, Kagome admired it for a moment. "This somehow makes our wedding more real," she said, then chuckled. "Are we officially 'baka' now, since we match?"

The hanyou chortled as he put on the other ring. "Seems appropriate." Giving voice to the concern that had been eating at him ever since his wife had returned to her classes, he grumbled, "Now maybe those fucking cow-eyed classmates of yours will back off."

Kagome cocked her head, wondering at his sharp tone, then clued in. Plucking at the t-shirt she wore, literally taken off his back that morning, she softly ventured, "Isn't this enough to declare my choice?"

Sha glowered. "For youkai, sure, but the humans don't seem to be taking the hint."

"I'll always be at your side," she said with such firm sincerity that he moved to kiss her, just before it was his turn to pull back with a disappointed grimace; Kagome put on a bright smile. "Now, I believe that my handsome husband said something about dinner and a movie?"

Rising to his feet and waiting for her to do the same, he said, "Should I also mention that we have Sess' blessing for this expedition because Miss Mifune's coming over?"

"I'm surprised he didn't want to double-date with us."

"Keh. _Don't_ give the asshole any ideas!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Just before midnight Friday**_**…**

"Lie down with me?"

Sha considered Kagome's pleading expression before reluctantly nodding. "All right, but only for a few minutes."

As she moved over on the futon Kagome suggested, "We could do this every night, so long as we have separate quilts."

"The Jewel doesn't like my _youki_ to be _this_ close," he said, keeping an eye on the fluctuating thickness of her glowing aura as he eased onto the mattress. "I've watched over you for the past three nights and you might _start _on that side of the futon, but within a few minutes of falling asleep, you're heading my way. I have to switch sides at least a couple of times over the course of the night to make sure you don't end up in my lap. Sometimes your aura flares up when you dream, so I also have to be ready to bail at a moment's notice."

"I had no idea," she apologized, worrying the edge of the quilt.

"S'okay; I'll deal with it. Did you enjoy yourself tonight?"

"_Very_ much." Laying her hand on the futon, as close to his as she dared, she contemplated their matching rings gleaming in the dim light. "The more I know about you, the more I want to learn," she said shyly. "You're a pretty amazing guy, what with the things you've seen and done in your lifetime." The hanyou blushed, and Kagome knew she would've been thoroughly kissed under other circumstances.

"The bruises on Miss Mifune's face were almost gone," he noted, changing the subject. "Did I hear her say that she and your brother are heading back to their respective schools on Monday?"

"Yes. Sota said that Mrs. Nishino's salve really accelerated his healing, so it must have worked for Miss Mifune, too."

Sha chewed his lip. "I thought Sess seemed kinda tense; did you pick up any vibes?"

"How can you tell, with that poker face of his?" Kagome replied, her eyelids growing heavy. "I've been meaning to ask you… is it my imagination, or is he looking younger?"

"Keh. The idiot's messing with his concealment spell. I told him not to bother, but he's worried that Miss Mifune might by turned off by his 'old guy' appearance."

"It _definitely_ isn't his looks…." The young woman yawned into her fist. "If her previous incarnations managed to see past his chilly attitude, he doesn't have anything to worry about."

"Do me a favour and tell him that?"

"I'm not brave enough; I'll have Tenmaru do the honours." Yawning more widely, Kagome smiled sleepily. "G'night, Sha. I hope that I don't, er, chase you around the bed tonight."

As her eyes slid closed, his expression darkened. Reluctantly moving off the futon and sitting up in his now-customary posture, Sha sighed deeply as he settled down for another night of keeping watch. _Not being able to touch you is fucking __torture__, but at least I can enjoy your scent. _A lopsided leer crossed his face. _Only twenty-five more sleeps until I __can__ chase you around the bed… if you're game, that is._

In the pre-dawn darkness, Sha was jerked out of a light doze by an abrupt change in Kagome's scent. Instantly awake, his blade half out of its sheath, he scanned the enclosed space under the canopy as well as the room outside before he registered the power building up inside the young woman's body as she whimpered fearfully and struggled in the bedding. _Shit! She's having a nightmare!_

Diving through the curtains surrounding the futon, he burst through the _fusuma_ and raced down the corridor, trying to put as much distance between himself and the Jewel before it erupted. Behind him, brilliant pink light flooded the hallway with deadly energy that made his skin crawl even as a frightened scream fired all of his protective instincts. _Dammit! _Torn between bolting for the front door and returning to Kagome's side, he noted that the interior walls muted the power's full force. _I need to wake her up, so the dream doesn't become cyclical, like last Saturday… but __how__? Fuck!_

Kagome clawed her way through the terrifying images inside her mind, her heart pounding violently. Sitting upright, she looked wildly around in an attempt to reorient herself. Exhaling loudly when she recognized the patterned hanging curtains, she wiped cold sweat off her brow. _Just a dream... thank goodness_. Her relief only lasted a few seconds until she noticed Sha's discarded blanket crumpled next to her futon. "Sha? _Sha!_" she shrieked, her fear returning anew.

"Quit squallin', girl. You didn't even singe me this time," the hanyou called from outside the draperies. She heard him pad across the _tatami_ towards the bed before he parted the curtains, peered in and gave a low whistle. "You're lit up like a signal flare." At that moment, they heard Sesshiro calling from the foyer. "C'mon in; excitement's over," Sha bellowed.

The taiyoukai appeared beside him in a heartbeat. "What happened?" he demanded without preamble.

"Not an attack… well, not by an outside force, anyways," the hanyou replied. Hooking his thumb at Kagome as she dragged her quilt up around her shoulders, he said, "She had a nightmare."

Sesshiro looked distinctly appalled. "Has this happened before?"

"Yep. The night before the wedding… but it was safer then for me to wake her up."

The elder youkai's expression became stern. "This is unacceptable behaviour."

"Whaddya mean, 'unacceptable'?" Sha snarled. "It isn't like she can control it!"

Sesshiro drew back. "The _Jewel_'s behaviour must be changed, not your wife's; I meant no offence."

Still ruffled, the hanyou muttered, "Kagome's nearly been killed three times in the past two weeks, so if she wasn't having flashbacks, I'd be worried!" Turning to the silent girl he asked in a gentler tone, "Was it Miss Tekkaido again?"

The pale young woman looked stricken as her throat worked. "Tentacles," she finally managed to rasp. Both dog-youkai shuddered.

"This must be dealt with sooner rather than later… because one of these nights you will not escape, Brother. Your wife does not need to bear the guilt of another inadvertent injury to one she cares about." Adjusting the neckline of his kimono, Sesshiro added ominously, "The Jewel will be brought to heel… by whatever means necessary."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: **_**hanami**_** – **Cherry-blossom viewing, often enjoyed with a picnic lunch packed in multi-tiered _jubako_ bento boxes. In the Tokyo area, the prime blooming period is around March 31st.

_**harisen**_** – **A folded paper fan used by Japanese comic Beat Takeshi to thwap the hapless butt of his jokes; sort of a Three Stooges-type prop that makes a loud noise. Also used by Genjyo Sanzo in _Saiyuki: Reload_, particularly against Son Guko and Sha Gojyo when they annoy him.

_**yutanpo**_ – Sleeping all night under a _kotatsu_ isn't really recommended, nor is running your kerosene-fuelled space heater in case of accident, so how do the Japanese stay warm in their beds if they lack a significant other to snuggle with? Hot water bottles buttoned inside _kawaii_ covers, of course! The oval plastic (or traditional metal) bottles are slipped inside soft, cuddly fabric wrappers and become a safe heating method for adults and children alike.

'_**baka'**_ – A classic Japanese pun lifted straight from Takahashi's new _Rin-ne_ manga, wherein a pair of Sakura and Rinne's schoolmates declare their affection for each other by wearing matching (and initialled) rings. Some couples take it all the way and wear matching outfits, right down to their socks and shoes… in other words, they're completely _baka_ for each other in the usual sense of the word. The 'ba' is an alternate pronunciation of the _kanji_ for 'horse', and 'ka' is the final syllable from the word for 'stag' – _ojika -_ and the relevant panel in _Rin-ne_ shows the giggly couple framed by a wreath made up of alternating horse and stag heads. (Source: _Rin-ne_ Vol. 2, pg 146 & translator's notes)


	18. Heart of Stone

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _InuYasha_; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N: **This chapter is dedicated to the memory of my dear friend Neko-sama, who recently lost her battle with cancer.

**Bouquets** to my foxy betas, Ranuel and SilverontheRose.

**Warnings: **Coarse language.

**The Price**

**Chapter Eighteen: Heart of Stone**

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Saturday morning…**_

It was mid-morning before Kagome stumbled into the kitchen of Wisteria House, following the appetizing aroma of _miso_ soup. "There you are, sleepy-head," Sha gently chided, smiling at the rumpled young woman.

Kagome squinted against the light, again checking the silhouette of his aura for the outlines of both canine ears. Reassured as to their presence, she fidgeted with the hem of her pyjamas. "I'm _so_ sorry about last night…."

Sliding a cup of tea across the counter, Sha shrugged. "It wasn't the first and it won't be the last… you really impressed Sess, and that's hard to do."

The young woman took a long sip of tea. "Is that 'impressed' as in 'whoa, she's powerful', or as in 'whoa, not good'?"

A steaming bowl of soup was topped with a lid and added to the plated food waiting on a tray. "Bit of both, I think." She reached to steal a sample of the freshly-grilled fish and promptly had her fingers smacked with the extra-long chopsticks Sha held in his grip. "Uh-uh. Weekends are the only time I can have breakfast with you… just the two of us… so come sit down with me and eat like a civilized human."

"As opposed to the _un_civilized ones," she chuckled, following with her tea as he carried the tray into the main room and set it on the _kotatsu_.

"Speaking of uncivilized… do you like _natto_?" he asked, placing an array of small bowls and plates in front of her as she tucked herself under the quilt.

"Um, sometimes. Why?"

"I can't stand the smell, so I don't have it in the house."

"I think I can live without it," she smiled, picking up her chopsticks. "Isn't a marriage about give and take?"

They had just finished eating when a runner arrived in the foyer. "Excuse me, please, but Lady Kagome's presence is requested by Lord Nishiki."

"Right _now_?" the hanyou demanded.

"My lady has a visitor."

Kagome stood up, self-consciously smoothing her wrinkled pyjamas as Sha growled, "Tell my brother that we'll be there in ten minutes." The runner bowed and disappeared.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Your promptness is appreciated," Sesshiro intoned as the couple entered his study.

"Where's the fire?" Sha grumped, intently assessing the impeccably dressed stranger. _A hanyou… not a predatory species… some kind of herbivore?_

"Lord Sha and Lady Kagome, this is Dr. Bakumon Ueda."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Dr. Ueda said, bowing deeply, and Kagome was struck by the distinct wheezing quality of his deep voice. His long, homely face and unruly forelock gave him an approachable air, although his barrel chest hinted at imposing strength. A spring-green aura surrounded his burly form.

_A youkai… but what kind, and why does his name sound familiar? Oh!_ "Are you the son of Miss Mifune's housekeeper?" she asked.

The horse-hanyou's dark brown eyes twinkled. "Yes, my lady. I understand that you are interested in pursuing traditional medicine as a career?"

"Y-yes, I am." Kagome looked from Dr. Ueda to Sesshiro and back again. "Er, is this about a placement at your clinic? I'm not exactly close to graduation."

Sesshiro gestured. "Dr. Ueda is here to consult on a course of action regarding the Shikon-no-Tama."

"Oh! Do you have any suggestions, Doctor?" she eagerly asked while Sha leaned forward, his expression intent.

The newcomer folded his large hands in his lap. "This is a unique case, but I believe that I can help. My recommendation is a two-fold course of action to treat both the symptoms and their root cause." Contemplating the young woman for a long moment, he continued, "You have suffered a number of traumatic experiences in a very short period of time. First, a mild herbal-based sleeping draught to reduce the Shikon-no-Tama's explosive propensities during your sleep cycle, and second, counselling with my colleague, Dr. Daisuke Sanada."

"_Why?_" Sha growled.

"Dr. Sanada is not only a gifted psychologist but also _human_, so if the Jewel were to activate during a session, he would remain unharmed." Smiling at Kagome, Dr. Ueda added, "He is very good. Miss Mifune is also utilizing his services."

Kagome hesitated. "Um… I'm not entirely sure…," she said uneasily.

Giving her an understanding look, the horse-hanyou assured, "Seeking assistance for mental health concerns is considered a sign of weakness in some circles, but I believe counselling will assist you in attaining your goal of controlling the Shikon-no-Tama's power and putting it to better use."

The young woman made up her mind on the spot and briskly nodded. "Meditation has also been suggested."

"Meditation is one component of Dr. Sanada's program." Dr. Ueda brushed his forelock out of his eyes. With a sideways glance at Sesshiro, he said, "Exploring the possibility of surgical removal of the Jewel has also been discussed."

Kagome's hand flew up to cover the centre of her chest. "Is that even _possible_?"

"We won't know until the Shikon-no-Tama's position relative to your internal organs is determined. A scan can be scheduled as early as Monday afternoon, if you like."

"_Please_. After four o'clock would be best."

"Very good. May I also introduce you to Dr. Sanada?" When she nodded again, Dr. Ueda smiled approvingly. "I will have the recipe for the sleeping draught delivered this afternoon; your housekeeper is fully capable of preparing the mixture. How does four-thirty for your scan sound?"

"Thank you very much!" Kagome exclaimed. "Monday can't come fast enough!"

"It is my pleasure to assist the House of the West." Bowing deeply to Sesshiro and then to Sha and Kagome, the horse-hanyou was ushered out. The air currents of his departure had barely calmed before Mrs. Nishino poked her head around the door frame.

"Lady Kagome! May I have a word?"

Kagome positively beamed at both dog-youkai before scampering out the door. "She is remarkably resilient," the taiyoukai remarked.

"That's my girl," Sha curtly replied. "Speaking of girls… how'd it go with Miss Mifune last night?"

Instead of treating the hanyou to the expected icy glower, Sesshiro rubbed his hand over his face. Carefully choosing his words, he murmured, "She is _very_ young."

"Yeah… _and_?"

The taiyoukai pressed his fingertips to his temples and closed his eyes. "Miss Mifune has more in common with my sons."

"_Shit,_ give yourself a break! She'll grow up before you know it," the hanyou spluttered, stunned by his brother's obvious stress.

"I envy your relationship with the Lady Kagome."

Sha nearly gaped at Sesshiro's admission before regaining his composure. "I'd hardly call it a relationship… _yet_. We're still kinda figuring each other out."

"But there is already a high level of trust… and obvious attraction… between you."

Scratching his invisible ear, Sha had to admit Sesshiro was right. "I got lucky."

Exhaling deeply, the taiyoukai rolled his shoulders and changed the topic. "If removing the Shikon-no-Tama from your wife's body _is_ possible, then we must have a contingency plan for securing it."

"Seal it in a lead box and sink it in the Marianas Trench," Sha declared. "Tenmaru was working on the 'right wish'; has he found anything yet?"

"The oldest and most detailed document to date was an inventory of the sacramental saké. For such a small shrine, it went through _barrels_ of the stuff in the Warring States era."

"Thirsty work, praying to the gods."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Later that afternoon…**_

"This is so _frustrating_," Kagome muttered, pushing away from her homework. The _kotatsu_'s wooden top was scattered with diagrams of bones and textbooks.

"Tell me about it," Sha commiserated, paging through a dog-eared tome. "What's your peeve?"

"Too many things on my mind. Yours?"

"I'm looking for some info on a particular Heian era sword smith and the distinguishing marks of his forge. There's a really nice sword coming up for auction, but I think it might be a fake." He glanced up to see Kagome regarding him with a thoughtful expression.

"May I ask you something?" she finally queried.

Marking his page before closing the book, Sha gave her his full attention. "Fire away."

"Will you tell me the full story about the day that you were sealed?"

More than a little surprised, even though her scent had forewarned him the question might be tricky, he carefully asked, "Why do you want to know?"

"If the meditation works and I can tap into Lady Kikyo's emotions, I think it would be a good idea to have more information."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea…."

She gave him a long, solemn look. "Please? I already know how she _felt_, but I want to know what happened to _make_ her feel that way."

Raking his fingers through his dark bangs, he sighed and gave in. "Not much more than you heard the other day," he reluctantly began. "We'd agreed that I'd make the wish and become human, so Kikyo promised to bring the Jewel up to the meadow… the area around the shrine's well house… the next morning." Sha shifted uneasily. "I was so damn excited about finally having a place to belong and someone to belong to that I hardly slept that night."

"And?"

"At dawn, I washed up in the river and headed into the forest, where Kikyo… I mean, Naraku… ambushed me."

Kagome thought long and hard. "That must have been _after_ he attacked her, because I've seen how fast you can move," she said. "Naraku wouldn't have had time to put the Jewel back into the shrine if he'd shot at you while wearing her appearance _first_… not unless he could teleport."

"He also had to make sure that I left the area quickly, because if I'd smelt Kikyo's blood, the game would've been up."

Silence hung heavy for a few moments before Kagome finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "What made you immediately jump to the conclusion that she'd betrayed you?"

"Ya gotta understand, Kagome… in those days, hanyou were objects of fear and loathing. I was rejected by my mother's people and my brother didn't exactly welcome the 'family scandal' with open arms. It wasn't until _after_ my sealing, when he met Rin and produced his own hanyou brats that his attitude changed. I loved Kikyo, but when that first arrow thudded into the tree next to my head, I switched back into survival mode because it had been my nature for so long."

The young woman nodded. "So you stormed the village, grabbed the Jewel and were retreating to make a wish when the real Lady Kikyo intercepted you?"

"Yeah. The Goshinboku was about fifty feet or so from the meadow through the undergrowth, so she only had to stagger a short distance. It was pure coincidence that I passed the tree at that moment and within her range."

"Did you say anything to her? Or was the sealing instantaneous?"

"I didn't even notice her because I was so focussed on the Jewel in my hand… and my head was pretty messed up, too. I heard my name and half-turned, just as her arrow slammed me into the tree." Sha paused for a moment, rubbing the left-hand side of his chest. "It hurts like hell, getting shot through the heart. I dropped the Jewel and smelled her blood just as everything went dark for a few hundred years."

"Did _she_ say anything?"

Chewing his lip, the hanyou slowly replied, "Something like, 'to betray me for such a thing'."

"And yet, she didn't purify you to dust, or even curse you."

"Trust me… being in limbo, neither fully dead nor fully alive, is _definitely_ a kind of curse," he snorted.

"I wonder why she didn't kill you, since she was so close to death herself? You might've been reincarnated together and had another chance at happiness."

"She was so disappointed by my apparent betrayal that she never wanted to see me again," he said flatly. "Her emotions were strong enough to have survived five centuries, don't forget."

"And yet, here we are," Kagome murmured. "Her plan to cheat destiny obviously didn't work."

His smile was warm, if a bit wistful, as he gazed at her. "Keh."

"Answer another? If you _had_ made the wish after Naraku tricked you, what would you have wished for?"

"To be a full-blooded youkai," he instantly replied.

"If my mom's right, the Jewel would've punished you for a selfish wish," Kagome pointed out. "You might've turned into a three-hundred-year old human and died instantly… or been stuck in dog-form for the rest of your life."

Sha looked distinctly bemused. "So, you're saying that it was a _good_ thing that I ended up sealed?"

"Well… sort of," she hedged.

The hanyou's soft expression made her want to kiss him. "Meeting you was definitely a 'good thing', Kagome, so it wasn't too bad after all. Oi… what did Mrs. Nishino want?"

"To discuss the menu for my family's visit tomorrow."

He made a face. "Guess I'll have to be on my best behaviour for your gramps, huh?"

"Do you want to try a sip of Dr. Ueno's sleeping draught to stay calm?" she mischievously suggested.

"I'd rather have a beer, thanks."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Very late that night, Sha had to admit the doctor's prescription worked extremely well in terms of keeping Kagome free of nightmares and in one place on the futon, but it also raised other issues. _She's completely out of it! If someone attacked us right now, she'd be a sitting duck! _ However, he noted that Kagome's defensive aura was still working; if he moved too close, the pale pink energy thickened and brightened warningly.

He watched her breathe for a while longer, before stretching out beside her futon with his chin propped on his fist. Sha was rather surprised when the young woman, who had been fairly motionless until now, rolled onto her side and reached out for him in her sleep. _Fuck. Looks like the nightly keep-away game is starting… just later than usual_. However, Kagome's movements remained slow, almost languid, until her hand encountered his trailing hair. Burying her fingers in the thick tresses, she sighed contentedly and smiled before slipping back into a deeper sleep.

Sha admired the patterns made by his spell-blackened strands curling over Kagome's pale skin… and dreamed of the night when more than just his hair could touch her.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Sunday afternoon**_**…**

"My goodness, Kagome… this is quite the place!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed, lingering by the decorative _koi_ pond to gaze appreciatively around the gardens.

"It'll be very pretty in a few weeks when the cherry blossoms are out," Kagome agreed. "I can't wait to see the wisteria in bloom; Mrs. Nishino says that some of the racemes are nearly two feet long."

"What colour?" she asked, turning her attention to the silvery stems twining all over the decorative arbour in front of Wisteria House.

"White."

Yayoi giggled. "Long, white and flowing… just like someone's hair?"

Kagome snickered. "Or fur, maybe. I have no doubt that was a factor in the gardener's choice!" Moving closer, she lowered her voice. "Did Sota sneak the replacement hibachi into the storerooms?"

"Oh, yes… tucked up safe and sound. It's so similar to the original that _I_ had to look twice; I have to say, my son is becoming rather good at faking his grandfather's handwriting. I'm not sure if I'm pleased or concerned!" As the young woman chuckled and tucked a stray strand behind her ear, the sunlight caught on the ring adorning her finger. Mrs. Higurashi took hold of her daughter's hand and admired the simple band. "So beautiful, my dear… and such a wonderful gesture for your husband to wear a matching one."

"I wish Grandpa had been a little more enthusiastic."

"He's not well," Yayoi sighed, squeezing before letting go. "Careful, Miss Buyo! I think that fish is bigger than you!"

The cat-youkai meowed in acknowledgement, but didn't budge from her perch on one of the rocks edging the pool. Tail swishing, she crouched even lower as the large orange-and-white carp glided closer… and closer… before whipping its tail and shooting into the depths.

"Maybe it's a carp-youkai?" Kagome suggested, earning a grumpy yowl in response.

"Too many stairs for my old bones," announced a shrill voice from behind, and the women both donned patient smiles before turning to see Genma Higurashi and Sha standing on Wisteria House's veranda. The old man glared down at them as if the flight of wooden steps leading to the ground was all their fault.

Sha schooled his temper with visible effort. "We can take the walkway over to the main house," he suggested. "You might find it easier since it's all one level."

Genma squinted at the covered connector, so new that the last nail had only been driven that morning, and petulantly groused, "It's a longer walk."

Kagome swore she heard a layer of enamel being ground off Sha's teeth. "Long and level or short and steep… what's your preference?" When Genma took too long to decide, he added, "Mrs. Nishino made honey _castella_; Kagome says that it's your favourite."

"Nagasaki _castella _is superior," the old man sniffed, but then seemed to recall exactly which formidable lady he was so carelessly insulting and added with poor grace, "I'm sure your housekeeper's version will be more than adequate." The two women exchanged appalled glances as Genma tottered down the stairs; when Yayoi stepped forward to assist him down the last few risers to the gravelled path, Kagome smiled brightly up at Sha, who looked positively murderous. "I still don't see why we had to bring the cat," Genma muttered querulously as he passed the feline, who regally ignored him.

"A cup of tea would be _lovely_!" Yayoi enthused, firmly steering her father-in-law towards the main house. "Mrs. Nishino's _castella_ is bound to be delicious!"

Genma's reply was lost to Kagome's ears because as soon as the old man was far enough away with his back turned, the hanyou cleared the staircase in one leap. "Fucking old goat," he seethed, then scowled down at Buyo. "What the fuck _are_ you doing here, anyways?"

The cat-youkai merely slitted her eyes and put her nose in the air, then stretched elaborately before circling Kagome three times and then running up the stairs to Wisteria House. Once on the veranda, she meowed imperiously and crooked her paw at the young woman. Sha made to follow, but Buyo hissed warningly.

"We'll be there in a couple of minutes," Kagome soothed her irritated husband. "You'd better help Mom peel Sota away from Tenmaru's video game stash!"

Sha bared his fangs at the cat-youkai before muttering, "Don't be too long. If your gramps doesn't smarten up and remember whose house he's insulting, I won't be held fucking responsible for my actions."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Once inside the house, Buyo had barely transformed before she exclaimed, "Do you know that Lord Genma actually tried to put me in a _pet carrier_?"

"Er, maybe he was afraid that he'd lose you?" Kagome said, hiding a smile as she led Buyo into the _tatami_ room.

The cat-youkai shook herself. "Lord Sota managed to convince him that it would be better for everyone's sake if I sat on Lady Yayoi's lap. Lord Genma then suggested a _leash_." Smoothing her long, black-streaked chestnut hair, Buyo growled, "I am a very tolerant creature, but _sometimes_…!" Glancing around the elegant room, she pinched her nose and grimaced. "The place positively _reeks_ of dog."

"Why _did_ you come today?" Kagome asked, watching the train of Buyo's flowing robes twitch in a distinctly tail-like fashion.

"Because my lady sounded very unhappy the other night, and I wished to see her situation for myself."

Kagome rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess I came across as a little desperate, huh?" she sheepishly admitted.

"Desperately lonely, perhaps. Does Lord Sha often leave you to your own devices?"

"Oh, no. We spend most of our time together when I'm not in class; he's even joined us for lunch this past week," Kagome hastily replied, recognizing the underlying criticism. "I haven't been away from home very often… _you_ know that… and that first night here was more than a little overwhelming." Smiling bravely, she stoutly continued, "I'm feeling much better now. Mom was right; it took a couple of days to fit into my new house and new routine."

"Good. I am also here at the behest of Lord Sota; I may be able to help you achieve success with meditation."

The young woman blinked rapidly. "How?"

Buyo adopted a superior air. "Felines are noted for their ability to _easily_ attain a zen-like state," she announced.

Kagome's lips twitched. "So, when you see a cat sitting in a sunbeam for hours on end with its eyes closed, it's actually meditating?"

"_Some_ of them are," Buyo conceded, chuckling. "Here… this is a focus point." Reaching into her sleeve, she spun a pebble across the _kotatsu_'s surface; as Kagome grasped for it, the cat-youkai stiffly commented, "Lord Sha has good taste in jewellery."

Pleased at the compliment to her ring, Kagome replied, "Yes, he does. I like it very much," as she inspected the small granite stone, rich with black, grey and white crystals. While weighing it in her palm, she asked, "How does this work?"

"It is volcanic rock from Mount Fuji," Buyo answered. "Its origin deep within the earth is supposed to 'ground' you."

"Really?"

"Maybe." The cat-youkai winked. "If you find concentrating difficult for the length of time to reach a centred state, then perhaps the stone will be useful to focus your thoughts. Examine the patterns created by the crystals, lose yourself in the colours…."

"It's still up to me, though," Kagome sighed.

"It isn't magic, my lady; you must find a technique that works best for you."

"I'm between a rock and a 'happy place', aren't I?" Kagome quipped, then sobered.

Buyo clapped her slender hands. "How about when you sight down an arrow at the target? Success in archery requires complete concentration on a single point… you close out all distractions in pursuit of your goal, correct?"

Rubbing her thumb over the slightly roughened surface of the pebble, Kagome said, "I never really thought of it that way, but finding the 'zone' before I release the arrow _is_ kinda similar to what Coach Sagara says about meditation."

"Some people find that visualization is a great help."

"I tried imagining a box and then sealing the Jewel inside, but that didn't work."

"When was that?"

"On Monday night, when the Jewel was trying to attack Tenmaru on the way down the mountain to Oshima Town."

"Hmm. You… and therefore, the Shikon Jewel… have calmed down enough now that perhaps you stand a better chance of success."

"Good point. I'll give it a try later." As Buyo nodded, Kagome eagerly leaned forward. "Tomorrow after classes I'm going to Dr. Bakumon Ueda's clinic for a chest scan."

"Why?"

"To see if the Jewel can be surgically removed."

The cat-youkai's expression became guarded. "So long as the Jewel is inside you, it is in a secure location. If it _is_ possible to remove it… then the risks of it escaping our custody increase dramatically!"

Stung by Buyo's less-than-enthusiastic reaction, Kagome said, "It'll be guarded just as heavily, but I won't be a danger to anyone with youkai blood who wants to give me a hug."

"I wonder… the pack is loyal to you as the ranking beta female, but I wonder how their attitude might change if something that could make the lowliest gardener the new Inu-no-Taisho… or ruler of the entire world… were up for grabs?"

"_What _are you saying?"

"I believe that the Jewel was reborn inside you for a reason. To remove it might invite karmic retribution." Noting Kagome's appalled expression, Buyo hastily added, "Of course, I am no expert in these matters… I am merely stating my opinion." At that moment, the house phone rang and Kagome ran to answer it.

"What's taking you?" Sha bluntly demanded.

"Isn't it traditional to send a runner?" she stalled, determinedly shoving Buyo's concerns into the back of her mind.

"My patience is 'running' a little fucking thin."

"On our way!" Replacing the receiver, Kagome squared her shoulders and turned to Buyo. "They're waiting for us."

The cat-youkai eyed the young woman's crackling aura, a dead giveaway as to her agitated state, and bowed deeply. "I did not intend to upset you, my lady. Please forgive me."

"Oh, no… it's just more food for thought." Kagome smiled weakly. "Thank you for the stone; I'm sure it will come in handy, one way or another."

As they left the foyer, Buyo transformed and ran lightly ahead, pausing to reconnoitre the lazily-circling occupants of the _koi _pond once more before leaping up the stairs of the main house, where she waited for Kagome to precede her into the building. Once inside, the cat-youkai took possession of Sota's lap for a brief time as the teen talked animatedly with Tenmaru about tactics and life points while both youths practically inhaled Mrs. Nishino's excellent baking.

The tea party was in full swing when Sha covertly watched Buyo sidle out of the main room and pad down the corridor. He easily heard the staffs' startled reaction when she coolly invaded the kitchen; low words were exchanged. When he stuck his head around the doorframe, he saw the now-humanoid cat-youkai disappearing down the corridor in the direction of Tsugane's room, a tea tray in her hand. _What I'd give to listen in on that conversation… it's bound to be way more interesting than this one!_ With a mental sigh, he turned his attention back to the disparate group; catching Kagome's eye from across the room, he winked cheekily at the girl as she waited on Genma. _Wonder where Sess disappeared to? He's gonna miss the fun if he doesn't return soon._

"These _wagashi_ are absolutely wonderful!" Yayoi gushed, selecting another delicate sweet from the porcelain tray. "Did you make these as well as the _castella_, Mrs. Nishino?"

"Oh, no… we deal with a specialty shop in Kyoto. They've supplied the House of the West for over one hundred years," the housekeeper replied, wielding her teapot with panache.

"Ah, Kyoto… I remember a trip to Mimuro Kimono with my mother and father to purchase my _furisode_ kimono," Yayoi reminisced. "It's the same one that Kagome wore to the betrothal ceremony last week."

"Lord Nishiki's lady mother patronizes Mimuro as well," Mrs. Nishino said. "Have you seen their modern line? Very striking colours and patterns."

"I still don't understand why the cat had to come, too," Genma suddenly grumbled.

"It was a nice gesture, Grandpa; I've missed her very much," Kagome quickly said.

"Why not keep her here, then?"

Kagome had a brief image of Buyo and Sesshiro's faces if they heard the suggestion, but before she could answer, Yayoi protested, "That wouldn't be fair to Miss Buyo; she considers the Shrine her home."

"And another thing… why is she now 'Miss'?"

"_I_ decided that she deserved an honorific," Sota piped up. "She's a _very_ special cat… er, where _is_ she, anyways?"

"Probably mooching snacks from the kitchen," Sha fibbed easily. "She isn't far."

Sesshiro arrived at that moment and Genma appealed to him. "A fine home like this doesn't seem complete without a cat, Lord Nishiki, and my granddaughter misses hers… would you like to keep Buyo here?"

The taiyoukai just managed to _not_ curl his lip as he waved away a cup of tea. "Western House is no place for a feline, Mr. Higurashi. If pets _were_ kept here, canine companions would be preferable, such as the Shiba and the Akita."

"Ah," the old man nodded wisely. "Very clever, those Shiba… said to be very cat-like in their intelligence and habits."

Kagome choked on her tea and Sota developed an instant coughing fit, which drew Genma's attention away from Sesshiro and Sha's expressions, which ranged from icy distaste to downright disgust at the comparison.

"The Shrine Guardian is here?" Sesshiro demanded in an undertone, his nose twitching.

"She's in Tsugane's room," Sha supplied. "Where in all the hells have you been, by the way?"

"Having tea with Miss Mifune."

"That explains the outfit," the hanyou said, eyeing the taiyoukai's Western-style trousers and casual zip-neck sweater that certainly gave the appearance of fine wool.

"Tenmaru gave his approval."

"Waitaminute… are those _real_ clothes?"

Sesshiro looked down his nose. "Of course not." Casting Genma a significant glance, he commented, "I'm surprised that you've lasted this long."

"I'm here for Kagome's sake. Since Miss Mifune's an orphan, you don't have to deal with the joys of in-laws."

"On the contrary. Miss Mifune comes equipped with legal guardians in the form of an uncle and aunt; I met them today. They've been away in Europe for the past two months."

"How'd it go?"

"They seemed more concerned about retaining access to her inheritance than anything else."

Sha snickered. "Real charmers, huh? That might work to your advantage… she could be happy to escape their grasp."

"The lesser of two evils? Thank you for that vote of confidence, Brother. I shall retrieve the cat," Sesshiro said and stalked off down the corridor with the air of a man about to do battle. He returned several minutes later as the party in the main room began breaking up, a rather smug-looking feline following demurely at his heels. Buyo immediately jumped into Genma's lap and began purring madly, rubbing her cheek against his jaw and generally fawning all over him.

"The Shrine would be empty without you, my girl," he murmured, lifting her into his arms.

Over Genma's shoulder, Buyo impudently rolled her eyes before snuggling shamelessly; Sota surreptitiously tweaked her ear as he helped the old man to his feet. Mrs. Nishino pressed a box of extra _wagashi_ into Yayoi's hands, along with a verbal invitation to the _hanami_ picnic at the end of March as the Higurashis took their leave.

"Kagome seems happy enough," Mrs. Higurashi sighed as she settled back into the limousine's luxurious leather seats several minutes later. "She and Sha make a fine couple."

Across the passenger compartment, Sota grinned. "You shoulda seen Sha's stockroom… it was like an arsenal!"

"Was the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga there?" Genma quavered.

"No, Gramps; it was in his room at Wisteria House. Didn't you notice it? It was on a display stand in the wall niche."

"My eyes aren't what they used to be," the old man sighed mournfully, petting the purring cat-youkai curled in his lap. "I hope that Kagome doesn't take too long to make me a great-grandfather, so that I may at least see the child's face before I pass on."

Sota tried not to make a face and failed. "Buck up, Gramps… if Mrs. Nishino's _castella_ is any indication, the menu for the _hanami_ picnic is definitely worth living for!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Monday afternoon…**_

"Ya sure this address is right?" Sha asked doubtfully, squinting through the windshield.

"Father double-checked it," Tenmaru responded. "We're on the right street, in the right block…."

"Why don't you just _ask_ someone?" Kagome suggested with some asperity from the back seat, then rolled her eyes when the two males exchanged one of 'those' looks. "_Honestly_," she muttered under her breath, knowing that they could hear, then looked carefully at something outside the rear passenger window. "There it is!"

"Not very well-marked for a clinic," Tenmaru grumbled, instantly jockeying for a parking spot.

A few minutes later, Sha inspected the tasteful cast-bronze nameplate attached to the granite post of a sturdy-looking gate… and the neatly uniformed security guard in a forecourt filled with the eponymous flowering bushes. "Ajisai Clinic. This is it, all right… do you have your weapon, brat?"

"_Yes,_ Uncle… for the third time."

"May I help you?" the guard asked; as soon as he heard 'Nishiki', the trio was escorted straight into reception while he radioed ahead.

"Welcome!" Dr. Ueda called cheerily, looking even more imposing in a white lab coat as he strode down the hall towards them. "Right this way, please."

Sha adjusted the strap of Tetsusaiga's case across his chest, glancing warily around as he followed Tenmaru and Kagome deeper into the building. _Exits are clearly marked if we have to make a break for it._ Under the common and somewhat acrid odours of a medical clinic, he identified many, many different youkai scents mingling with hanyou and full humans. "Big place, for just two doctors," he commented sharply.

"Oh, no, Lord Sha. Like our clinic name suggests, we are a clustering of human and youkai medical professionals, ranging from paediatrics to plastic surgery and everything in between." Dr. Ueda smiled, showing off particularly large, square teeth. "We also have a state-of-the-art medical imaging department, which is where we are headed."

"Do you use moxibustion in your practice?" Tenmaru asked out of the blue.

"For some of my more traditional clients, yes… but it tends to set off the smoke alarms. However, acupuncture is available if you're interested, young lord."

"Thank you, but no; I have no desire to voluntarily imitate a pincushion," the dog-hanyou replied.

"So you're saying that I should scratch you off my list of practice partners when I hit that section of my studies?" Kagome grinned.

Tenmaru gave her a wry look. "A _human_ partner would be a better bet, Aunt… unless this scan gives us hope for a permanent solution."

"Here we are; the staff will have you set up in no time." Dr. Ueda ushered them into a pastel waiting room, where a couple of uniformed techs bowed. "I'll let Dr. Sanada know that you are here." After taking down Kagome's health information, one of the techs was about to lead her away to the changing area, but Sha let out a ferocious growl.

"Where _she_ goes, _we_ go."

"Er, of course, my lord."

The scan itself didn't take that long; twenty minutes later, Kagome was dressed and on her way to the psychologist's office, where they were met by Dr. Ueda. "The analysis will be complete in half an hour or so; in the meantime, may I introduce Dr. Daisuke Sanada?"

A slightly-built man, who looked even smaller next to Dr. Ueda's bulk, came forward and bowed; Kagome blinked at his startlingly coloured… for a human… sandy-red hair, but his mischievous smile was infectious. As he studied the young woman over the rim of his glasses, he said, "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Nishiki. The Shikon miko's recent exploits have enlivened the water-cooler talk in the building." When her smile faded, he added kindly, "I hope that I may be of service in easing your concerns." Ushering her into his treatment room, he was nonplussed when Sha and Tenmaru made to follow. "Would you mind waiting outside, gentlemen? I can assure you that the lady is in no danger."

Sha's brows lowered. "We trust no-one… not when her safety's involved."

Dr. Umeda raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Of course. However, my patient must be able to speak freely, and she may be inhibited by an audience. Doctor-patient confidentiality is also an issue."

"Yeah, well… this is just a meet an' greet, so I don't think that the same rules apply."

"Perhaps a compromise, Uncle?" Tenmaru suggested. "We can wait out here, but the door to the inner room remains slightly ajar. With your hearing ability, that should suffice."

Still the elder hanyou hesitated. "What do _you_ think, Kagome?" he finally asked.

"I'll be fine," she answered, suddenly very sure of this human. "There isn't any darkness in his heart."

Dr. Sanada bowed. "I thank you for that vote of confidence, Mrs. Nishiki. Shall we?"

It didn't take long before Kagome forgot that Sha and Tenmaru were lurking out in the waiting room, and spoke frankly to Dr. Sanada about how her life had turned upside down since Mistress Centipede had tried to tear her in half exactly two weeks previously. Tears prickled when she mentioned Abihime, and she bit her lip in mid-sentence.

"Why do you stop?" the doctor asked.

"I promised myself that I wouldn't cry any more."

"For what reason?"

"Because it doesn't solve anything."

He smiled quietly and handed her a tissue. "A good cry releases mental and physical tension, and it's much better to let it out rather than bottling it up… but I understand that part of your stress is related to the fact that your husband can't physically comfort you without acute personal danger."

Kagome wiped at her cheeks. "N-no. I'm untouchable by anyone with youkai blood. Sha could literally die if he tried to hold me… and that's _with_ his concealment spell firmly in place. The Jewel would vaporize him on sight if he took off his necklace."

"We humans… and most youkai… thrive on touch, on physical as well as emotional connection with others." Tapping his chin, he finally said, "This _is_ a real conundrum, but we will do our best. First, we must give you the tools to achieve a tranquil state of mind."

Rolling the granite pebble across Dr. Sanada's desk, Kagome said, "I was given this to use as a focus point, because I've had trouble concentrating in the past."

Picking up the stone between long fingers, Dr. Sanada inspected the patterns made by the large quartz crystals. "The process of achieving the appropriate mental state is highly individualistic; having something tangible to focus on could definitely help." Dropping the speckled rock into her palm, he said, "Shall we try a couple of basic breathing exercises?"

Kagome was just sliding into a state of profound calm, listening to Dr. Sanada's soothing voice coaching her through a series of ever-deeper and ever-slower inhalations and exhalations when someone politely coughed and jerked her back to reality.

"My apologies for interrupting, but the scans are ready," Dr. Ueda said.

The psychologist huffed irritably, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Just when we were making progress, too… wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Nishiki?"

Still blinking to clear her mind, she smiled gamely. "It really _did_ seem to work. My brain feels… quieter, somehow."

"Have you ever tried meditating alone before now?"

"Er, no. It was always in a group situation at my archery club, and I swear someone's stomach rumbling from across the room could distract me."

"I wonder… Mr. Nishiki, would you please come in?" Dr. Sanada called. When the hanyou obliged, the sandy-haired doctor asked, "Are you a patient man, sir?"

A dark eyebrow arched, then twitched when an amused snort was heard from out in the waiting room. "I'm not exactly known for it," Sha curtly replied. "Why?"

"Pity. Your wife could benefit from a meditation partner to help her achieve success when at home." Turning his attention back to the young woman, he said, "You did very well today; how often are you able to come in?"

"Um… two, three times per week… maybe?" she floundered.

"Here's my card; call for an appointment as soon as you've checked your schedule. I look forward to our next session."

Bows were exchanged, and the group trundled down the hall after Dr. Ueda. As soon as they reached his office and the door was closed, Sha demanded, "Well?"

"Unfortunately, my news is not encouraging. I had one of the cardiologists look at the scans to confirm my suspicions." The doctor's dark eyes fixed on Kagome, who had gone rather pale. "The Shikon-no-Tama appears to be firmly embedded in the anterior wall of the left ventricle of your heart."

"It's _inside _her heart?" Tenmaru spluttered.

"Part of the sphere actually _protrudes_ outside the muscle wall. Removing it would create a golf-ball sized hole, and I have been informed that successfully patching an opening of that size during open-heart surgery is next to impossible." Tugging on his forelock, Bakumon murmured, "I am very sorry, Lady Kagome."

Squaring up her slumping shoulders, the young woman sighed, "It was worth a try, anyhow. Thank you, Dr. Ueda; I really appreciate it."

"Are you finding the sleeping draught to be helpful?"

"Yes… at least, Sha hasn't mentioned if I'm still trying to zap him in my sleep…."

As she looked to her husband for confirmation, Tenmaru smirked. "So you're no longer a nocturnal 'chick magnet', Uncle?"

"_Brat_… I swear, one of these fucking days…!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

While lying in bed that evening, waiting for Sha to finish in the bathroom, Kagome found herself choking up and desperately sought to head off the tears… to no avail. Rolling over, she buried her face in her pillow and tried to muffle her sobs, but her hanyou was there within seconds. He remained silent, however, and let her finish; when she finally sat up to face him, Sha tossed her a damp cloth to wipe her cheeks.

"What's up?" he asked, his brusque tone not quite hiding the depths of his frustration.

She drew a shaky breath. "I'm just so… _disappointed_ that the Jewel can't be removed. I was _really_ hoping…."

"Wanting to get rid of the Jewel is kinda selfish, so I can't help but wonder if you would've been punished somehow if it was taken out of your body."

"Miss Buyo said removing it might invite 'karmic retaliation'," she admitted.

"The Jewel's a mystical object, with good and evil constantly at war inside it. While it's inside you, good always has the upper hand… but it isn't gonna make our lives easy," he growled. "All you can do is try your best to contain it."

Blowing her nose, Kagome nodded. "I will. In fact, I'm going to practice visualizing a box and sealing the Jewel inside it right now. I tried before and failed, but maybe _this_ time…." Smiling bravely, she laid back down and composed herself.

Sha pulled on her blanket; when Kagome looked over, he blew her a kiss. "Good luck."

"Thanks." However, despite her best intentions, her brain for some reason decided that a bottle would be better than a box as the sleeping draught kicked in and she fell fast asleep.

The watching hanyou cursed a blue streak and retrieved a book to fill the long hours until dawn.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Thursday evening…**_

"You are making progress, Sister. When is your next appointment with the psychologist?"

"Monday afternoon." Kagome rolled her shoulders and flexed her neck. "The breathing exercises _do_ seem to be getting easier…your help is much appreciated, Elder Brother."

Sesshiro inclined his head as he rose to his feet. "I am happy to assist, since your husband is unable to do so."

She giggled as she also stood up and pocketed the granite stone. "He fidgets like a little kid!"

"I am sure that he now regrets not paying more attention to his mental training when he was a whelp," the taiyoukai said. "Clearing one's mind in order to focus on an enemy is an essential component of swordsmanship."

"He admitted to being a bit of a punk when he was younger."

"Our ancestral fortress still bears the scars of his youthful enthusiasm with the Tetsusaiga."

"Dinner is ready!" Mrs. Nishino called; Kagome bowed to Sesshiro before they exited his study and walked down the corridor towards the main room. Sha and Tenmaru were already seated; her hanyou gave Kagome a searching look.

"How'd it go?"

"It's easier every time," she answered. "And, I haven't yet fallen asleep sitting up!"

Sha cocked his head. "Your aura looks different."

"Really?" She glanced down at herself. "You're right… I'm not glowing like a neon sign any more."

As she seated herself beside him, Kagome held out her hand and impulsively urged, "Test the Jewel's tolerance?" Sha obeyed, slowly moving his hand closer to hers. Their palms were less than an inch apart before the pink energy brightened in rebuke. "_Almost_," Kagome breathed, her eyes sparkling. "Maybe by next week…."

"How's it goin'?" rumbled an unexpected voice, and Kagome's jaw nearly bounced off the table as a dark-haired Tsugane sauntered into the room, his hands shoved into his pockets. Smiling broadly, he said, "It's amazing what a 'waxing gibbous' moon can do for a man's health."

The young woman stared up at him, utterly speechless, while Sha muttered, "Finally hauled your ass outta bed, huh?"

Tsugane's smile grew wider. "As soon as the sun set a few minutes ago… _oof_!" He staggered backwards when Kagome practically tackled him into the doorframe. "Easy on the merchandise, Auntie," he teased when he caught his breath, then smirked over her head at Tenmaru. "It's good to be the 'favourite nephew'."

While the youngest hanyou made a rude gesture, Kagome pulled back slightly and demanded, "You're all right? You're _really_ all right?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be letting you manhandle me," Tsugane replied, as Sha made low, unhappy noises.

Oblivious to the undercurrents in the room, Kagome grasped Tsugane's shoulders and carefully inspected his face. Catching hold of his chin, she turned his head, then sucked in a sharp breath when she saw his human ear… or what was left of it. The entire outer pinna was gone, leaving only an awkward nub. "Oh, no…." she whispered, sick to heart. Retreating a step or two, she noticed his hands were still firmly in his pockets. "Show me," she asked hollowly, already sure of what she would see.

Tsugane reluctantly obeyed, and Kagome covered her mouth with her hands when she saw the charred, almost skeletal, condition of his hands. One was in much worse shape than the other, but they both eloquently demonstrated the effects of spiritual power on youkai flesh. "I'm not in any pain," the hanyou assured the horrified young woman. "I expect that this will all clear up when my youkai blood returns tomorrow morning."

"What if it doesn't?" she whimpered.

"That's what concealment spells are for," he shrugged.

Kagome carefully took one of his crippled hands in hers. "You can see your bones," she murmured, biting her lip to stave off tears. Reaching up to lightly touch his ruined ear, her stricken expression was replaced by determination. "This _won't_ happen again. I'm sick and tired of the Jewel being in control," she said fiercely. Her aura briefly flared, but was just as quickly dampened.

"Shall we dine?" Sesshiro calmly suggested, eyeing his seething brother.

After Tsugane manfully submitted to another hug, Kagome sat down next to Sha, who tried to not react negatively to the scent now covering her clothing. Mrs. Nishino set herself up next to Tsugane, and after serving the food, proceeded to hand-feed the hanyou since his injured hands were incapable of holding a bowl, never mind chopsticks.

"Maybe it would have been better to do this in the kitchen," he mumbled around a mouthful of _miso_-marinated pork.

"Nonsense, my lord," the housekeeper briskly said, readying a bite of sweet potato. "This is the last time... hopefully."

Once the dishes were cleared away, Kagome set up her laptop and worked on a series of questions resulting from a lab that afternoon while Tsugane paged through a textbook beside her. A thought popped into her head. "Just a sec... how did you manage to complete the assignment on the human hand that was due yesterday? You can't hold a pencil, much less type."

"One of Father's secretaries scribed the written part for me," he said. "He did the sketching and labelling as well." When his aunt shot him a guilty look, Tsugane elbowed her. "No big deal, Auntie. We're moving on… remember?" Watching over her shoulder as she continued with her questions, he occasionally put in his two-yen worth, while wondering when the young woman was going to notice that she was practically in his lap... because his uncle certainly had.

Sha sat across the room, playing _Go_ with Sesshiro, but it was plainly apparent that the elder hanyou's attention wasn't on the game. Tsugane squirmed under Sha's piercing glare while Kagome remained oblivious, until he finally poked her in the ribs and asked, "Auntie, can you give me some space?" when she leaned into his side while reading through her lab notes.

"What? Oh, er, sorry!" She blushed and moved a more respectable distance away. "It's just that... well... it's nice to have that physical contact. _Sorry_."

"You're the centre of attention, and yet attention-starved," he astutely observed. Glancing around the room he continued, "We'll have to take turns filling your touchy-feely quotas, since we're fairly well-spaced around the lunar cycle. I'm tonight, Tenmaru is in another ten days and Uncle ten days after that." As Sha visibly bristled at the idea of 'sharing', Tsugane hastily added, "Or, we can add in a daily glomp-stop at the Shrine to see your family."

"Or I can control the Jewel so that I can hug whomever I want, whenever I want," Kagome replied, looking straight at Sha.

"On that issue... how's the search for the 'right wish' going?" Tsugane asked his brother.

Tenmaru shook his head. "Nothing definitive so far, and we've almost exhausted the first box of scrolls. The Sunset Shrine certainly was a favoured place to make offerings, judging by the inventory lists… and explains the packed state of the storehouses."

"Our Goshinboku is considered to be one of the oldest sacred trees in Japan, and our shrine is affiliated with the Samukawa Shrine as well," Kagome said.

"Your grandfather wasn't kidding when he said your family was well-connected," Tsugane commented, then asked, "Are our professors still buying your 'guest observer' schtick, Brother?"

"Apparently, even though I never leave Aunt's vicinity."

"Damn. If my hands are still screwed tomorrow, I was planning on pressing you into service as my scribe."

Kagome gently touched Tsugane's carbonized palm. "You're coming back to class?"

"You betcha, Auntie. Can't keep the ladies waiting!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sha was still looking highly disgruntled the next morning when Tsugane joined them at the table... with a pair of perky black canine ears poking out of his spell-darkened hair and healthy pink skin covering his hands, plus soft-looking claws tipping his fingers. "I tweaked my concealment, so that you can see that I'm all right," he told Kagome, who carefully inspected the various appendages.

"This is for real? You didn't fiddle the spell so that it only _looks_ like you're healed?" she asked.

In response, Tsugane flicked his ears and flexed his fingers, wincing a little as the fresh skin pulled over the joints. "I won't lie to you, Auntie; I'm not at one hundred percent yet, but I'm whole. Once you're out of range in Wisteria House brushing your teeth, I'll unleash my _youki_ a little bit and see if I can't finish the repair job." He glanced at Sha. "By the time we reach the campus in an hour or so, I'll be able to take notes _and_ hold a weapon." While Sha merely nodded, Tsugane covered his belt buckle with his hand and muttered a rapid-fire series of spells until his canine ears disappeared and his claws vanished, leaving him looking much as he always had… a broad-shouldered, extremely handsome young man of about twenty-three. "You gonna join us for lunch, Uncle?" he asked, snagging a pair of chopsticks as he sat down to eat.

"Maybe," Sha grunted. When Kagome gave him a dismayed look, he quickly amended, "Probably."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Friday afternoon…**_

"I can't believe how much homework we have! It's gonna seriously cut into my social life!" Tsugane whined, checking his cell phone for messages.

Tenmaru and Kagome exchanged long-suffering glances. "My heart absolutely bleeds for you, Brother," the youngest hanyou snorted. "Perhaps you'd better create a database to make sure that you don't miss any opportunities with your female classmates."

"That's a _great_ idea!" Tsugane enthused. "All I need is a secretary to input the data… how about it, Mishi?"

"Forget it, Ichiko… although I get to approve the short list."

"Feeling protective of your favourite nephew, Auntie? That's _so_ sweet."

"Of the girls? Heck, yeah."

The trio bantered their way across the campus to the parking garage, all of them carefully avoiding mentioning the fact that Sha had failed to show all day and had his phone turned off. Tsugane had just declared his intentions of taking over as driver on Monday because Tenmaru's 'old lady' tendencies were making him crazy when the three walked through the door onto the parking garage's fourth floor and straight into a trap.

"_Shit._" The two hanyou immediately dropped their bags and drew their weapons, standing back to back with Kagome sandwiched between as they were surrounded by a gang of scruffy youths.

"Good afternoon, House of the West," purred a smooth voice as a tall, green-eyed man stepped out from behind a support pillar, his knee-length vivid red braid and even longer white trench coat swinging dramatically with his movement.

Kagome eyed the extremely dark greenish-blue aura outlining the stranger's slender form as Tenmaru spat, "_Kitsune_," and hefted his spear.

"I see that your nose works quite well… for a hanyou," the stranger jibed, then smiled disarmingly at Kagome. "I am Toshiro Gintouzoku," he announced, executing a sweeping bow.

"Go fuck yourself, fox," Tsugane growled, not taking his eyes off the circling thugs. "Are all of these your lovers?"

The youkai sighed dramatically. "While some of my kin do indeed find males of other species extremely attractive, my taste runs to more curvaceous figures… such as the rounded surfaces of the Shikon-no-Tama." He snapped his fingers and the gang began closing in.

Tsugane curled his lip. "Nice odds, asshole… is the word 'fair fight' anywhere in your vocabulary?"

"Expediency is more important than chivalry when a prize such as the Jewel is involved." The fox-youkai studied the apprehensive young woman. "Now then… hand her and the Jewel over, or your esteemed father will lose _both_ his heir and the spare."

Tenmaru took an experimental swipe with his spear and managed to nick one of the youths in the leg. While his first victim yelped and flailed, he tried for another target, and successfully forced back the men. "We cannot simply 'hand over' our beloved aunt, because our uncle would be most displeased… and trust me, he'd kill us even more painfully than you."

Tsugane leapt outwards and whacked a heavy-set teen in the side of the head with the flat of his sword blade. The man crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold. "That's the trouble with human mercenaries; they just don't have the resilience of hanyou," he sneered as he retreated.

"Ah, but humans aren't bound by preferences for archaic weaponry, either," Gintouzoku smiled. "Gentlemen?" The youths fumbled in their jackets and produced an astonishing array of handguns. Most of them were definitely neophytes, and all of them looked nervous as they handled the firearms.

"Guns are _definitely_ not fair," Tenmaru muttered, backing up as close as he dared to Kagome.

"Not to mention highly illegal," Tsugane snarled, his eyes darting around the circle as he looked for an opening. _Can't exactly grab Mishi and run for it, dammit!_

The fox-youkai pointed at two of his gang, and several shots rang out. Tenmaru stumbled, blood spurting from wounds in his legs and his chest; when Tsugane whirled to protect his brother, he was shot in the back and the knees, then jumped by four men and dragged to the ground.

Kagome was left unmolested in the midst of the chaos, more furious than afraid. _If only I had my bow and some arrows! I'm useless without weapons!_

Gintouzoku beckoned. "Come now, dear girl… I would hate to punish your nephews if you resist."

"You'll regret this," she said forcefully. "There are more guardsmen on their way."

"Ah, but they will not endanger the lives of the Western Lord's precious sons for a mere human," he purred. "Even if she happens to be the Shikon miko."

Frantic cursing from behind caused Kagome to look over her shoulder. Tenmaru and Tsugane each had at least six men pinning them down. Two more gangsters stood over them with a gun in each hand, the muzzles pressed against the brothers' spines and skulls. "_What_ do you think you're doing?" she shouted, glaring at the red-haired youkai.

"As previously noted, hanyou are highly resilient; the only way to permanently immobilize them is to behead them," Gintouzoku drawled. "However, scrambling their brains and severing their spinal columns ought to slow them down."

"You _wouldn't_!"

The fox-youkai's eyes gleamed. "I most definitely _would_… for the Shikon-no-Tama."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Natto**_** – **a common breakfast/snack food composed of fermented soybeans. They're usually pale brown in colour, appear to be suspended in clear sticky mucous, and have a certain 'cheesy gym socks' aroma. Look them up on Google for the full visual effect.

_**Castella**_ – a butter-free tea cake of Portuguese origin brought to Japan in the 16th century. The traditional flavouring is honey. Castella (or _kasutera_) is available in every food store and every price range, so is not usually made at home in modern Japan; Mrs. Nishino was really 'putting on the dog' for the Higurashi visit.

_**Wagashi**_ – delicate, strikingly beautiful Japanese sweets that are considered an integral part of the classic tea ceremony. Most are edible works of art in the form of seasonal floral or leaf shapes; I also came across a summer design that featured a tiny orange-and-white goldfish swimming in a clear, square 'sea'.

**Mimuro Kimono** - is a lovely shop in Kyoto, offering everything from the most traditional bridal kimono to flashy _furisode_ to graphic modern kimono plus all the accessories from _zori_ to _obi_ to _kanzashi_ to complete your outfit.

**Ajisai** – hydrangea


	19. Immunity

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _InuYasha_; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** Thank you so _very_ much for your support! This fic placed at the recent 4th Quarter 2009 and went on to win four banners in the Best of the 2009 voting at the IYFG!

**Bouquets** to my citrus-loving beta, Ranuel.

**Warnings: Coarse language, violence and heavy lime content (at end).**

**The Price**

**Chapter Nineteen: Immunity **

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Third Level, University Parking Garage…**_

"Aunt… don't…." Tenmaru choked out, crimson bubbling over his lips and dripping down his chin.

"He won't be so cocky... when Father gets his hands on him," Tsugane wheezed.

Kagome fully faced the fox-youkai. "Do you really think you'll survive an all-out war with the House of the West?"

"With the Shikon-no-Tama in my grasp, I fear nothing... _especially_ not a pack of toothless dogs."

"Then you're a fool." Kagome set down her backpack and put her hands in her jacket pockets to disguise their shaking. Her fingers closed around a rounded, rough-textured granite pebble, and her nerves settled. _He obviously doesn't know the Jewel is inside me… if I can just get close enough to set off its protective tendencies…._ The focus stone was a comforting weight in her hand, and it gave her another idea. _A projectile!_ _If it works for arrows, it should also work for stones!_ Slowly pacing towards Gintouzoku, she mentally gauged the range. _If I can distract him, I have a chance!_ Concentrating on the desire to protect her nephews, she poured the energy flowing through her body down her arm and into her hand where it imbued the volcanic rock with purification power.

"You are an attractive woman," the fox-youkai observed as she closed the gap. "Perhaps I shall keep you as my pet."

"My husband wouldn't like that," she retorted.

He considered that revelation. "A priestess and a youkai? How droll… _urk_!"

While he was speaking, Kagome pulled her hand out of her pocket and threw the glowing pink stone with all her might. _Please hit!_ The missile struck Gintouzoku in the shoulder and bounced off; she _had_ intended to rush him, in order to put his _youki_ in contact with her aura, but when his concealment spell burned away, Plan B presented itself on a gilded platter.

"_Bitch!_" Gintouzoku snarled as his shaggy bangs and long braid turned silvery-white, but then his four luxuriant tails, rather large canine ears and piercing yellow eyes were also revealed.

As the Shikon-no-Tama's aura blasted the fox-youkai at point-blank range, Kagome murmured, "May Inari forgive you, because I won't."

Gintouzoku didn't have time to do more than look incredibly surprised before he disintegrated into a column of ash that held together for a few surreal seconds before cascading to the concrete floor and forming a rapidly-dissipating smoky pool. Kagome watched it wash over her shoes before stooping to retrieve the focus stone. _Now what? The guardsmen should've been here already… unless their shift was over and they left!_ Slipping the piece of granite into her pocket, she squared her shoulders and turned to face the fox-youkai's henchmen.

They were staring at her with expressions that ranged from stunned to bewildered to horrified, until one of the gunmen shouted, "_Fucking bitch!_ How _dare_ you!" Raising his weapon, he aimed it at Kagome's chest and pulled the trigger.

As if in a dream, she saw the puffs of expelled air scribed in swirling dust as the bullets left the muzzle, but in the space between heartbeats, a gleaming silver barrier arrived in front of her. "_Bastards!_" Sha snarled, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off Tetsusaiga's transformed blade with harsh metallic _pings_.

The thug emptied both clips, the bullets spraying wildly, shattering windshields and sending chips of cement flying; the volatile stink of gasoline vapours filled the air. "What the hell are you waiting for, idiots?" he snapped at his fellows, who were gaping at the dark-haired man hefting the enormous sword glinting in the parking garage's dim lighting. "Kill them!"

"Not today, fuckers," Sha hissed and dove at the huddle of humans in a blur of speed. Wielding the Tetsusaiga like a massive baseball bat, he sent the gang tumbling ass-over-teakettle with one mighty swing. Grim-faced guardsmen swarmed out of the woodwork, tackling the humans, disarming them and roughing them up for good measure.

A senior officer approached Kagome and bowed very deeply. "My apologies for not arriving sooner, my lady."

Buyo's cautionary words regarding the guardsmen's loyalties echoed in her mind. _Maybe they were 'accidentally on purpose' late because they were hoping to grab the Jewel from Gintouzuko? _ "Lord Nishiki will not be pleased that his sons were injured due to your tardiness," she sharply replied with a perfunctory nod as she strode past to check on her nephews.

Tenmaru remained prone, his face pale beneath the red smears and his breathing laboured; his sweater glistened wetly in the fluorescent lights. "Forgot your fire-rat today, huh?" Sha commented, examining the youngest hanyou's injuries with a practiced eye. "Two perforated lungs and torn-up intestines… heart, too?" At Tenmaru's weak nod, he growled deeply, although the pat he bestowed on the wounded man's shoulder was gentle. "How about you, whelp?" he asked Tsugane, who was just as pale as his younger brother but trying harder to hide it.

"My jacket protected me from the worst of it," the younger hanyou grimaced as he allowed Sha to pull him into a sitting position. "I need a few slugs removed from my back... _dammit!_ They shot me in the ass!" Shifting onto his hip, Tsugane muttered, "Just need a few minutes to recover…."

"Not likely, Ichiko," Kagome said as she knelt beside him, feeling distinctly queasy as she inspected bloodied bone shards sticking haphazardly out of his tattered jeans. "Your knees are completely blown."

"Better than scrambled brains," he managed to cheek.

"I could do bullet removal the usual way," Sha offered, "but Tenmaru's already lost a ton of blood."

"Usual way?" Kagome asked, curious despite the tense situation.

"Digging 'em out with my claws." Turning to the hovering officer, Sha commanded, "Load these two up and we'll take 'em to the Ajisai Clinic."

The guardsman looked puzzled. "Why there, my lord?"

"Because it's the closest youkai-friendly medical facility that I can think of. Kagome, you're with me." Carefully rifling Tenmaru's pockets, he extracted the car keys. "Hang tough, brats."

"What about these vermin?" the officer asked, pointing at the subdued gang members.

Sha smiled wickedly. "Take 'em somewhere remote, explain to 'em why pissing off the House of the West isn't a good idea… and make 'em walk back to Tokyo."

The guardsman's answering grin exposed the tips of his fangs. "A jaunt out to Lake Ashinoko might be good for their constitutions."

"Dump those fucking handguns while you're at it."

"With _pleasure_, my lord."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome waited until they were a couple of blocks away from the parking garage before she queried, "Where were you today?"

"At an auction," Sha tersely replied, not looking at her.

"All day?"

"Yeah."

"With your phone turned off?" He didn't respond. Tightly folding her arms across her chest, Kagome glared out the passenger window and allowed her irritation to simmer. "You might want to talk to the guardsmen when they get back from terrorizing those thugs."

"Why?"

"They showed up fashionably late, too."

"Keh."

They sat in silence for the rest of the trip. Kagome belatedly realized that she needed to calm down because her enlarged aura was sparking against Sha's _youki_. Glancing at the grim-faced hanyou, she fished in her pocket for the stone. Smiling wryly, she ran her fingers over the curving granite. _It certainly __did__ come in handy… just not in the way Miss Buyo or I thought it would!_ Closing her eyes, she began composing herself. By the time they reached the clinic, she felt much more clear-headed, but still distinctly annoyed with Sha.

At the front gate, she was out of the car before he could object. Pressing the buzzer, she hopped from foot to foot until the security guard appeared. "We have two patients that require emergency medical attention."

He snapped to attention as he whipped out a radio. "Turn at the corner. Half-way down the block, you'll see a loading bay. Injuries?"

"Bullet wounds!" she shouted over her shoulder as she ran back to the car.

Jumping into the passenger seat, she started to pass on the directions, but Sha muttered, "Heard 'em," so she held her tongue.

When they pulled ahead of the entry ramp to give the following vehicle easier access, she ignored Sha's shout and chased after the van carrying Tsugane and Tenmaru. Charging up the incline, she arrived as the youngest hanyou was loaded onto a stretcher. Tenmaru lay very still, his eyes closed, while Tsugane cracked bad jokes with the orderlies.

"Excuse me, but are you related to these men?" a nurse enquired.

"I'm their aunt," Kagome replied without a second thought. "I'm also a medical student, so if I can be of any help...."

"We'll keep that in mind," the professional brusquely replied, consulting her clipboard. "What can you tell me about their injuries?"

"Bullet wounds caused by handguns...."

"_Handguns!_" The nurse repeated, appalled, then gave Kagome an icy look that took the young woman off-guard. "We are a respectable facility, so I will require approval before your men are admitted."

"My... men?" she repeated in confusion, then clued in. _She thinks we're __yakuza__!_ Kagome almost laughed out loud, but instead had an inspiration. Tugging on the collar of her leather jacket, she turned slightly to make sure that the tiny enamelled pin was visible, and felt a small thrill of power when the woman's eyes widened in recognition. "I trust that we now meet your approval?" she couldn't help asking, with a touch of asperity.

"Er, yes, ma'am... the House of the West certainly does," the nurse flustered. "Gunshot wounds, you said?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Kagome had just been gently shooed out of the examining room when Dr. Ueda galloped down the hallway towards her. "My lady! Are you all right?" he demanded.

"Yes, Doctor... but I can't say the same for my nephews." She quickly brought him up to speed on the recent events as they watched the team tend to Tenmaru and Tsugane; the blinds were quickly closed as Tsugane's jeans were cut off.

"If Lord Tenmaru requires a transfusion, do you happen to know if his elder brother has the same blood type?" Dr. Ueda asked.

"I don't, but Sha might."

The horse-hanyou suddenly twitched. "I almost forgot... Miss Mifune is in a session with Dr. Sanada! She should know about this... er, shouldn't she?"

"_Definitely_. Can you show me the way to his office?"

Dr. Ueda instantly beckoned to a nurse. "I will remain here to await Lord Sha."

"Please tell him where I am? He must be having trouble finding a parking spot." Several bewildering turns and long corridors later, they arrived in Dr. Sanada's waiting room. As the nurse bowed away, Kagome approached the receptionist. "How much longer until Miss Mifune's session is over?"

"Approximately ten minutes."

"Could we interrupt it? This is kinda important...."

"It has been a very intense session," the man demurred, giving her a direct look. "I wouldn't wish to compromise Miss Mifune's healing process."

"Oh, of course!" Kagome took a seat, but she only had to fidget for a few seconds before the door to the inner office opened, and a red-eyed, damp-cheeked young woman came out with Dr. Sanada in close attendance.

"Mrs. Nishiki?" the psychologist said in some surprise as Kagome bounced to her feet. "I didn't realize that you were scheduled to see me today."

"I'm not; I'm actually here for Miss Mifune."

The teen blinked owlishly, as if she didn't recognize Kagome. "Excuse me... do I know you?" she asked, confirming the other woman's suspicion.

"Sota's sister; I'm Kagome."

"Oh, yes... I'm sorry; I didn't recognize the last name," Karin apologized, bowing.

"It's okay, Miss Mifune." She smiled at the younger girl. "I haven't had that name very long."

"Why were you looking for me?"

"Tsugane and Tenmaru have been wounded; Tenmaru is in rough shape."

Karin's hand flew up to her mouth. "What happened?"

"They were shot while protecting me," Kagome admitted.

"I _must_ see them!"

"_Dammit_, girl... would you quit taking the hell off?" growled a clearly disgruntled voice; Kagome quickly turned around and stepped aside.

"Perfect timing, Sha! You can take Miss Mifune to the boys," she said brightly as the hanyou's scowl vanished. Ushering the teen towards him, Kagome assured, "My husband will look after you. He's Tenmaru and Tsugane's uncle… do you remember?"

"Mr. Sota's brother-in-law?"

"That's me." As he took custody of a shaken-looking Karin, Sha threw his wife a sharp look. "You coming?"

Instead of replying, she turned to Dr. Sanada. "Do you have time for a chat right now?"

"Of course, Mrs. Nishiki," he replied. "Sounds like you've had an interesting afternoon."

Sha didn't look happy. "Stay put until I come back for you," he firmly ordered.

"Sure," she answered readily enough, but her flippant tone earned another dark look.

Karin daringly tugged on Sha's sleeve. "Excuse me... but can we hurry?"

As they disappeared out the door, Dr. Sanada pushed his glasses up his nose and gestured towards the inner office. "I am intrigued, Mrs. Nishiki... shall we?" As they seated themselves, he steepled his long fingers and studied her carefully. "First of all... what happened that brought about this unscheduled visit?"

The young woman sighed heavily and slumped in her seat. "We were attacked by a gang of humans led by a kitsune; they wanted the Jewel, of course."

"Tenmaru and Tsugane are...?"

"Lord Nishiki's two sons; my nephews by marriage." Kagome shifted in her seat. "Miss Mifune is the reincarnation of their mother."

Dr. Sanada's eyebrows climbed towards his hairline as he processed the information. "Interesting family you've joined."

"I really hate it when they're hurt because of me... and it'll never end so long as I'm the Shikon miko." She studied her hands, folded loosely in her lap.

He shook his head, a mix of sympathy and admiration in his expression. "This guilt that you carry only increases with each encounter; our work is cut out for us."

"I killed someone today... and for the first time since all of this started, I'm not upset about it." Kagome looked up. "Is something wrong with me? Am I becoming jaded?"

"What was your reason for ending this person's life?"

"He hurt the boys, our backup didn't arrive in time, there were guns involved... I didn't feel like I _had_ a choice except to go on the offensive. I didn't really plan to kill him... maybe just crisp him a little." Rubbing the back of her neck, she added, "It isn't like I had any control over the Jewel's reaction; as soon as his concealment spell disappeared, it went for him."

"Silver-haired?"

"Yellow-eyed, to boot. He didn't stand a chance."

Pursing his lips, Dr. Sanada said, "I have to admit that I don't quite understand how an inanimate object can develop preferences for looks."

"It's complicated."

"Of that, I have no doubt."

Kagome rolled her shoulders and gave him a simplified version of how the Lady Kikyo's final conscious memories were affecting the Shikon-no-Tama's reactions to certain physical attributes. The psychologist rubbed his chin as he considered her wan expression. "One thing is for certain; there will be no 'quick fixes' to this situation." When she nodded miserably in agreement, he handed her a tissue. "You were defending yourself... and protecting others... when this acquisitive kitsune died at your hands," Dr. Sanada stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but... I'd like to have more offensive _and_ defensive control over this power inside me. That's why I'm hoping meditation will help, unless I can figure out the 'right wish'," she said, dabbing at her eyes.

"Pardon?"

"I kinda 'went inside' the Jewel at one point during my confrontation with Naraku and spoke to Lady Midoriko and Lady Kikyo," Kagome confessed.

He leaned forward, his gaze riveted on her face. "_Fascinating_. A defensive out-of-body experience?"

"Probably. There were tentacles involved."

"Tentacles?" he repeated, his horror plainly evident and then his brow furrowed. "I don't intend to compromise doctor-patient confidentiality, but is this the same youkai who abused Miss Mifune?"

"Yes," Kagome replied shortly, then continued, "Just before I was 'kicked out' of the Jewel, I heard a voice saying, 'The right wish will set us free', so I'm trying to find out what that might be."

"You plan to wish away the Jewel?"

"Yes."

"How will its absence affect your perception of yourself as the Shikon miko?" Dr. Sanada wanted to know.

"Since I _just_ found out two and a half weeks ago that I'm the Shikon miko, not very much," Kagome replied. "If I'm stuck with it for years, then my answer will obviously be different."

"May I ask how _you_ define yourself?"

"As a doctor," she promptly answered. "I want to heal those that are suffering."

He chuckled. "I approve of this ambition." Tapping his fingers on the desktop, he asked, "What do you hope to accomplish with meditation?"

"It might sound silly, but I want to talk to Lady Kikyo, to see if I can explain to her that it wasn't Sha who killed her. Maybe then the Jewel will settle down and I can use its power to help... like when I exorcised Naraku's _shouki_ from Miss Buyo's wounds."

Dr. Sanada perked up. "You can purify injuries caused by contact with youkai energy?"

"It's the one thing I _can_ do... most likely only on a human patient, though, since I can't get too close to anyone with youkai blood right now."

Giving the young woman a considering look, he was about to say something when someone knocked loudly on the door. "Enter," Dr. Sanada called, and Sha stuck his head inside.

"We're taking the brats home," the hanyou said without preamble.

Kagome stood up and bowed, but Dr. Sanada detained her for a moment longer. "For Monday's session, come prepared to put Naraku to rest… permanently." At her surprised expression, he said, "We have to try extreme measures." Glancing at Sha, he added, "I believe that the Lady Kikyo's memories will not be pacified until Naraku's stolen visage is stripped away and she sees her true enemy."

The hanyou curtly nodded, and almost as an afterthought, said to his wife, "You should talk to the cat, too. She knows what happened _before_ I was sealed… when Naraku was still a human bandit called Onigumo."

"How can a human become a youkai?" Dr. Sanada asked, considerably surprised.

"Invite evil youkai to possess your dark, twisted soul," Sha impatiently replied. "C'mon, Kagome."

"I'll see you on Monday," she said, making a point of being polite to offset Sha's abruptness, and followed her husband out of the office. She deliberately remained a couple of steps behind as they traversed the corridors back to where they had left Tsugane and Tenmaru, still feeling disgruntled with Sha's attitude. A raised voice… feminine and sharp-edged… caught her attention as they approached.

"I am sorry that you feel that way, Uncle, but this is my decision. I will keep you informed." Karin Mifune looked up as she put away her cell phone. "I am ready, Mr. Nishiki."

"Doesn't sound like your people are very happy," Sha commented and she looked startled, until he tapped his spell-created ear. "I couldn't help overhearing."

"Ah."

The dark-haired hanyou gave her a considering look. "Are you sure you want to get involved with this situation?"

Karin drew herself up to her full height, which was still at least an inch shy of Sha's chin, and staunchly replied, "_Absolutely_."

"Are the brats ready to go, Doc?"

Dr. Ueda swiped his forelock out of the way as he consulted a clipboard. "Lord Tsugane is fine, if a little tender in some areas, but Lord Tenmaru's condition is considered serious. The specialist doesn't recommend that he be moved for several hours."

"I think you can understand the potential threat to your clinic if opponents learned that the heirs of the House of the West were down for the count."

The horse-hanyou nodded as he handed over a card printed with telephone numbers. "Please don't hesitate to call if either of them need further treatment."

"I doubt an herbal potion can fix busted lungs," Sha dryly observed, but Kagome flinched at his apparent brush-off of the doctor.

"Thank you, Dr. Ueda," she said graciously. "I'll let you know if anything is required."

Their exit began; Tsugane was lying on his stomach, but he managed a jaunty 'thumbs-up' as he was wheeled past on a stretcher and loaded into the back of the van. Tenmaru followed on another stretcher; there was a pause while Tsugane's conveyance was locked into place and Karin impulsively took advantage of it. Stepping forward, she took hold of the youngest hanyou's limp hand and waited until he opened his eyes. "You're going to be fine," she murmured, smiling quietly. He managed to squeeze her fingers once before the orderlies muttered apologies and pushed him through the doors to the waiting van.

"Where's your driver, Miss Mifune?" Sha asked.

"I've already sent him home," she answered.

Sha arched his dark brows, but chose not to comment on her assertiveness. "Fine; you can ride with us."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Sesshiro was awaiting their arrival in the outer courtyard, his loosely-tied black hair whipping around his tall, pale-robed frame. He exchanged low words with Tsugane and lightly touched Tenmaru's brow, then directed the guardsmen acting as stretcher-bearers through the gates. As she exited the car, Kagome could hear Mrs. Nishino alternately chiding the pair of wounded hanyou and hustling the troopers along the gravel path to the main house.

Karin gathered her school bag and squeezed out of the back seat. Slipping past Kagome, she marched across the courtyard towards Sesshiro. "Lord Nishiki?"

The taiyoukai gazed down at the petite young woman, his face as impassive as ever, but Kagome easily detected the calming of his _youki_ before he spoke. "Yes, Miss Mifune?"

The determined set of her shoulders didn't waver. "May I stay with your sons?" she asked.

"Do as you please," Sesshiro answered.

"It's amazing," Sha remarked as his brother followed the young woman through the gate. "One whiff of his mate's scent, and Sess calms right down."

Kagome shot him a look. "Doesn't seem to be working for _you_ right now."

"Works both ways."

"_What?_"

Sha shrugged. "You're not exactly thrilled with me right now, are you?"

Anger blazed through Kagome and she barely resisted the urge to slam her bag into the ground. Only the memory that her new laptop was inside stopped her from physically expressing her frustration. "Where the _hell_ were you today?" she demanded.

Sha blinked at her use of profanity even as he took several steps away from her surging aura. "I couldn't help it," he growled. "Things were out of my fucking control."

"Oh_, really_? Your client wouldn't let you use your cell phone, much less turn it on?" Kagome asked, her tone dripping sarcasm.

"_Fuck._ Okay… I should've called," he unwillingly muttered.

"So… why didn't you?"

"Because I was _fucking pissed off_, dammit!"

"About _what_? I haven't even _seen_ you since breakfast!"

The hanyou abruptly found the gravel highly interesting. "_Nothing._"

"Nothing? Then why…?" A sneaking suspicion caused a frown. "You've been angry since last night," she flatly accused. "Ever since I hugged Tsugane."

He defiantly curled his lip. "Yeah… so what?"

"_So what?_" Her voice rose, and his invisible ears flattened. "If you hadn't decided to be a jerk about it, maybe the boys wouldn't have been hurt!"

"_I know_," Sha snarled. "Don't I get any props for saving _your_ life?"

They glared at each other for a long moment. "Thanks," Kagome finally forced out.

"Have you two finished scandalizing the neighbourhood?" Sesshiro rumbled. "Sister, your aura is like a signal flare; kindly cease advertising your position. I would not care to face another attack this night."

"Yes, Elder Brother," she meekly replied, following up her verbal docility with action in the form of on-the-spot breathing exercises that brought the pink flames back down to a simmer. Picking up her bag and slinging it onto her shoulder, Kagome strode across the courtyard without a backwards glance. Sesshiro stood aside to let her pass, then fixed his suddenly-yellow gaze on Sha. "I assume that you have a good reason for remaining incommunicado today?"

Sha shuffled his feet before finally admitting, "No."

"Is your wife correct as to what has caused your fit of pique?"

"Keh."

"You wilfully endangered your wife… and my sons… due to a wounded ego." The taiyoukai's tone was downright glacial. After a chilling pause, Sesshiro continued, "I trust that this situation will not be repeated." Turning on his heel, he stalked through the gate.

Raking his claws through his hair, Sha muttered a string of curses before retrieving Tetsusaiga and following at a slower pace. He was half-way along the path when he realized that Kagome's aura was glowing behind the window screens of Wisteria House. _What the hell is she doing?_ Fuelled by petulant anger, he crossed the garden in two jumps and landed on the veranda. Yanking open the entry door, he stomped into the foyer.

Kagome looked up from where she was unloading the contents of her backpack onto the _kotatsu_. "Yes?" she asked coolly enough, but the spiritual energy snapping around her body gave away her true feelings.

"Why are you here?"

"I live here," she retorted, tossing the empty backpack aside.

Sha bit his tongue rather than voicing a snippy response and tried again. "Why aren't you fussing over the brats?"

The young woman gave him a scathing look that clearly stated he was an idiot as she gestured to the power rippling around her slender frame. "I need to cool off, and I'm finding your presence rather infuriating. Go hang out in the main house for a while." Turning her back on him, she headed into the kitchen.

Sha hesitated, then swore violently before storming back out, the windows rattling from the force of the door slamming shut.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"May I bring you a cup of tea, my lady?" Mrs. Nishino asked, giving Tenmaru's quilt an unnecessary straightening.

Karin nodded, absorbed in a miniature portrait painted on an ivory panel. It depicted a woman in her late twenties, robed like a princess with a jewelled comb in her long black hair. Her face was lovely, but her expression was wary, as if she wasn't quite sure of the viewer's intentions. The housekeeper fidgeted, but had no real reason to either stay or comment, so bowed out of the room. When the _fusuma_ closed, leaving them in privacy, Karin gave the picture one final look before kneeling beside Tenmaru's futon. When the injured hanyou opened his eyes and smiled weakly, she blurted out, "I'm not your mother."

"I know," he murmured. "But you look like her, smile like her... smell like her... and your presence makes the discomfort bearable." Tenmaru's eyes slid closed again and he sighed deeply.

Karin sat still for a long moment, studying the young man's pain-tightened features. Making a decision, she scooted closer and clasped Tenmaru's hand. Tenderly stroking his bangs away from his sweaty forehead, she waited until his eyelids fluttered open before whispering, "Then I will stay with you for a while."

"Thank you, Miss Mifune."

When Sesshiro entered the room not long after, bearing a lidded cup on a small teak saucer, the scene made him pause just inside the doorway. He watched Karin soothing his wounded son; she caught his gentle expression when she glanced over her shoulder. "Lord Nishiki."

Inclining his head, he crossed the room and offered her the cup. Reluctantly ceasing her attentions to Tenmaru, who had fallen asleep, she accepted the steaming drink. Removing the lid, she sniffed appreciatively at the fragrant brew while Sesshiro seated himself a respectable distance away on the _tatami_. After several minutes of companionable silence, Karin set down the cup and returned to feathering her fingers through Tenmaru's spiky bangs. The taiyoukai was content to watch her, filling his nose with her scent and revelling in her presence.

"How long will he suffer?" she asked.

"Your presence is calming his _youki_ and allowing it to focus on healing his injuries."

"And your other son?"

"Well enough to challenge his uncle to some video game or other."

"What about Miss Higur-, er, Mrs. Nishiki?"

"Her spiritual power is unstable and she did not wish to endanger anyone; I expect that she will join us for dinner."

Karin studied Tenmaru's delicate features. "May I see him without his concealment?"

"I doubt he will object." Sesshiro shifted closer, reaching for his son's wristwatch. His sleeve brushed over Karin's hand; curious, she caught a fold of the rich cloth between her fingertips and wondered at the oddly insubstantial quality despite its solid appearance. _It's almost as if it is woven of mist, but that's impossible... isn't it?_ Tenmaru stirred as his father skilfully unbuckled the leather strap; as the hanyou's hair turned from glossy black to gleaming silver, Karin returned to caressing the soft strands. He emitted a small, grumbling growl, turning his head to nuzzle into her palm.

Karin giggled softly as she petted Tenmaru's cheek. "He really is just a big puppy, like Miss Hig-, er, Mrs. Nishiki said." Admiring the pale blue crescent moon adorning the hanyou's forehead, her gaze couldn't help straying to Sesshiro. The taiyoukai reached into his robes and withdrew a small object on a knotted blue silk cord. Offering it to Karin, he dropped it into her open hand. Intrigued, she held up the ivory _netsuke_ to better inspect the mischievous-looking, curly-tailed dog, down on its forepaws, tongue lolling, its head canted upwards as if asking for a ball to be thrown. As she did so, Sesshiro's colouring altered to match that of his son.

The young woman inspected him with frank curiosity before glancing down at Tenmaru and back up again. "You could be his brother, instead of his father. How is that possible?"

"Youkai age very slowly in comparison to humans."

Her brow furrowed. "So you're actually even older than I thought."

"By several centuries," he allowed.

"Why do you take the appearance of an old man, anyways?"

A graceful eyebrow arched. "Forty-five is hardly an 'old man', Miss Mifune. I must convincingly pass as the father of my adult sons, who do not alter their spells to appear younger than they are."

"Oh! So they could make themselves look like little kids?"

"In theory, but in practice it would be difficult to remember to sound and behave like a child that is much smaller in stature."

"Yes, I can see that might be tricky," she agreed, rubbing her thumb over the _netsuke_'s smoothly-polished back. "What is it like, to live so long and see so much?"

"Without the presence of family, it would be very lonely."

Karin met his yellow gaze for a long moment, then took him off-guard. Looping the _netsuke_'s cord over her finger, she boldly reached for him. Cradling Sesshiro's large hand in her much smaller one, she closely inspected the long, dangerous claws tipping his slender fingers. Impulsively touching the tip of one, Karin discovered that it was indeed as sharp as it looked, and quickly popped her bleeding digit into her mouth while he made concerned noises.

_He isn't human... he's dangerous... but I somehow __know__ he'd never harm me._ "I should be terrified of what you are and what you could do to me," she slowly said, "but I'm not. Oddly enough, _not_ being afraid is what's freaking me out."

His hand, that pale, elegant, deadly expression of his otherness, moved to clasp hers with the _netsuke_ trapped between their palms. "You never were afraid, not even the first time we met."

"You're not talking about Oshima Island, are you?"

A thumb swept over her knuckles. "You were much younger than you are now; a mere child who fearlessly approached a wounded youkai and offered him water."

She stared at him in frank disbelief. "You? Injured? No way!"

Sesshiro shrugged. "It was a foolish quarrel."

"So... that's when we met? Why did you take an interest in a little kid?" She suddenly looked suspicious, and the taiyoukai barely suppressed a smile.

"My intentions were honourable, I assure you," he answered. "Humans and dog-youkai have a long history of interaction."

"In other words, I was a stray that you picked up," Karin snorted. "Did you do that often?"

"You were the first and the last."

"But how... um, when did you decide that I, er, _she_ was the one you wanted? You must have had plenty of princesses to choose from, being the Lord of the West and all."

Yellow eyes took on a far-away look. "It was the summer before your coming-of-age. I found you by the pond, teasing the carp with a bamboo frond... your sleeves dripping wet from picking the waterlily in your hair... and I just _knew_."

"Just like that?"

"Don't be so sceptical, Miss Mifune," he gently chided. "My lady mother took one look at me, threw up her hands and set about educating you to be my consort."

"How did _she_ know?"

"Apparently my lord father had much the same expression when he met my brother's mother."

"Oh, er, um... huh?"

"My lady mother is not my lord father's soul-mate; it happens," Sesshiro sighed. "However, she recognized my reaction to you as being the same as my lord father's to the Lady Izayoi, and so took action."

"Did _I_ have any choice in the matter?" Karin demanded, unconsciously slipping back into first person.

A fang peeked out of his wry grin. "You have always been notably opinionated; if you had not wished to be my bride, you would have made your objections known."

Karin abruptly realized that throughout the discussion, she had been unconsciously moving closer and closer to Sesshiro, until she was practically in his lap. When she tried to put more socially appropriate distance between them, she was stopped by a firm grip on her fingers.

"Please stay," he murmured.

Flustered, she apologized, "I'm _so_ sorry; I wasn't paying attention...." His intense gaze made her throat go dry and she hastily shut her mouth.

"It is natural to reach for the other half of one's soul."

"Y-you r-really believe that?"

"Absolutely." As he raised her hand to his lips, there was a gagging sound from the futon.

"Get a room, you two... preferably someone else's," Tenmaru feebly smirked.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Western House, Saturday morning...**_

Kagome had just accepted a cup of tea from Mrs. Nishino when she nearly dumped it all over the silken quilt covering her lap as Tsugane lurched into the main room, his arm slung around Karin's slender shoulders. The young woman was wearing a brightly-hued _yukata_ that was in danger of unwrapping itself with every step because what appeared to be a _netsuke_ putting strain on the carelessly-knotted sash; Sha bounced upright and assisted the two of them, but Tsugane reserved his smile for Karin as he was awkwardly lowered onto a cushion.

The young woman teasingly ruffled his messy bangs before bowing to Sha and greeting Kagome, then dashing out of the room again, fixing her clothing on the fly. Kagome heard a cheerful conversation in the kitchen and was still blinking in confusion when the staff began serving breakfast.

"Did Miss Mifune stay over last night?" she finally asked, not quite sure what to think. _One drawback of not being on speaking terms with Sha; he didn't make breakfast for me this morning, either._ She glanced at her hanyou, but he was engaged in a conversation with Tsugane and showed every sign of staying on that side of the table.

"Yes, she did," the housekeeper practically beamed. "It's _so_ wonderful to have my lady back! Young, bright and lively... I predict she'll keep his lordship hopping!" When she noticed Kagome's stunned expression, she laughed merrily. "In a separate suite, of course!"

"I see you were busy in the clothing storage this morning, Mrs. Nishino," Sesshiro rumbled from the doorway. While the woman looked abashed, the taiyoukai cracked a small smile as he took his seat. "That shade of golden peach was ever your favourite for my wife."

"Will she stay, my lord?"

"That is entirely dependent upon the outcome of the conversation with her guardians this afternoon. Miss Karin shows every sign of being as stubborn as she ever was once she makes up her mind."

Sha glanced around. "Where is she, anyways?"

"Coaxing Lord Tenmaru into eating," Mrs. Nishino said proudly, scooping rice into a bowl and handing it to Sesshiro. "She's taken to her maternal role with gusto!"

Kagome put down her tea and plaintively asked, "Will somebody _please_ tell me what's going on?"

"Miss Karin and I had a long conversation last night," the taiyoukai answered. "She has decided to spend more time at Western House."

"You mean, she's going to move here? Just like that?"

"As I mentioned, much depends on the discussion. Miss Karin turns twenty a week today, and will legally be in charge of her own affairs. Her guardians are naturally somewhat perturbed by recent events."

"No doubt," Kagome muttered. "It must be nice to have had a choice." Abruptly realizing what she'd just said, she quickly added, "I'm very happy for you, Elder Brother." Keeping her head down, she didn't see the shocked looks exchanged by her audience.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wisteria House, Saturday evening…**_

"Knock, knock!"

"Come in… oh, hello, Ichiko," Kagome answered, surprised to see Tsugane in her foyer, and even more surprised when he limped into the main room carrying an armload of paperwork and his laptop. "What's up?"

"Taking a breather from Hurricane Karin," he cheerfully replied, plopping down at the _kotatsu_.

"She's very, um, energetic."

"Go ahead and say it… she's like a new puppy," the hanyou grinned. "You can't take your eyes off her for a second because she's into everything, but at least she hasn't peed on the _tatami_."

The young woman snorted. "That's your lady mother you're talking about."

"Yep." His grin became positively mischievous. "I'm seriously liking the way she's knocking Father sideways!"

"I thought that one eyebrow had become permanently stuck to his hairline by dinner time."

Tsugane cackled gleefully. "That's what I'm talkin' about! He needs someone who'll shake him up and make him take a fresh look at life."

"He appears to have found it… in spades." Watching him set up his laptop and organize the stack of papers, Kagome asked, "Are you actually going to do some homework?"

"Those term-end exams aren't gonna write themselves… and neither is this paper on the human excretory system."

"This isn't like you on a Saturday night," she observed.

"Knees are still too messed up to take anyone dancing… and Uncle didn't wanna lose to me _again_. He really sucks at gaming unless it's first-person shooter."

"Um, do you know where Sha is?"

"Hiding in the office with Father and playing _Go_, under the pretence of having a business meeting."

Kagome giggled and turned back to her own homework, but soon found herself thinking of far more attractive things than faeces and sweat glands, such as the tumultuous events of the afternoon. The entire fortress had been marshalled to make the best impression possible on Miss Mifune's guardians; she'd nearly tripped over a gardener down on his hands and knees hand-snipping the small tufts of ornamental grasses bordering the path when hurrying to answer Mrs. Nishino's summons. The main house was in a controlled frenzy of preparation when she arrived, but she was instantly swept up by the housekeeper and carried off to an impromptu dressing room.

A half-dozen elegant kimono, in a range of spring-time hues and patterns, were displayed on stands with the matching obi and accessories arranged in boxes on the floor. She was handed over to a pair of good-natured servants who then spent an hour turning her into the very image of an aristocratic lady. _I was almost afraid to wear that kimono; I still can't believe that the plum blossoms were embroidered with real silver thread! _ Subtly jewelled combs held back her hair, the floral crest appearing in so many places on her person that she lost count.

The chorus of masculine approval when she'd shuffled into the main room had definitely been gratifying, Tenmaru and Tsugane's wolf whistles making her blush. Sha hadn't said anything, but his admiring look spoke volumes. _He was __so__ handsome in his black outfit._ Mrs. Nishino had fussed over the arrangement of the trailing obi when she was seated beside Sha. "A truly lovely hostess," the housekeeper smiled before disappearing again.

"Hostess…?" Kagome asked nervously.

Sesshiro waved his hand. "The servants will take care of everything protocol-related; all you have to do is make small talk."

She blew out her lightly-powdered cheeks. "I _think_ I can do that."

As it turned out, Kagome hadn't had to say much of anything. Karin's aunt and uncle arrived promptly at two o'clock; they'd barely had a chance to exchange pleasantries and be seated when the teenager at the centre of the discussion had glided into the room, robed like an empress and accompanied by two young girls who acted as handmaidens and kimono-wranglers. Kagome knew she was gaping, but after a quick glance around the assembled guests, discovered that she wasn't alone.

Karin cheekily winked at her on the way to seating herself next to Sesshiro in a flurry of silk. Once her trailing sleeves were arranged by her attendants, she'd bowed to her guardians and then snapped open a fan as if she'd been doing it her entire life. _There really wasn't much to say after that! _The aunt and uncle appeared to realize that any hope they had of retaining control over the teen or her inheritance had evaporated, and gave in with reasonably good grace. A formal betrothal was discussed, but not concluded; because of that, tea was served along with the dainties, even though it was obvious that Karin wouldn't be returning home any time soon.

The tangible results of the meeting appeared just before dinner, in the form of a truck-load of boxes filled with Karin's belongings. Sesshiro appeared to be alternately amused and bemused by the chattering whirlwind who had taken up residence in his house as she set about turning the suite she'd claimed into a personal nest decorated by a bevy of J-pop posters.

"Miss Karin's definitely going to liven up the place," Kagome said out loud, sighing gustily.

Tsugane smirked. "Should I warn you that she's really looking forward to group homework sessions?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Ajisai Clinic, Monday afternoon...**_

"Okay... I think I'm ready," Kagome muttered, checking the notes from her conversation with Buyo one last time. "This Onigumo was a real treat."

"All that was left of the bastard was his human heart," Sha reminded her, fidgeting with the Tetsusaiga's case. The air between them was still strained despite being called into Sesshiro's office on Sunday morning like a pair of truant children and apologizing to each other, but Kagome continued to keep both her counsel and her distance. _Being in the dog house sucks big, scaly dragon balls… and so does sleeping in a separate room._

Yesterday, they'd visited the shrine with Karin in tow. The young woman had closeted herself with Sota and Mrs. Higurashi to ask their opinions on her decision, while Kagome had disappeared with Buyo, leaving Sha with Genma. The excellent plum wine Yayoi had served allowed the two men to be fairly pleasant to each other and Sha thought he just _might _have impressed Genma with his knowledgeable discourse on the revolutionary tactics used by Oda Nobunaga's musketeers at the battle of Nagashino. _Eye-witness experience finally comes in handy._ The residue of the potent alcohol in his system later fuelled his clumsy attempt to make up with Kagome, once Karin had been escorted back to Sesshiro. His wife had listened quietly, her expressive grey eyes dark and thoughtful, nodded in the right places, but remained aloof. _She'd probably be pissed if I told her that she looks so much like Kikyo right now that it's fucking __unnerving_.

Watching her shuffle papers into her backpack, Sha pondered Kagome's stated reasons that morning for skipping classes, which were heavy on the decision being her 'choice'. _If she's seriously considering withdrawing from school just to take the pressure off her guards, then __I__ can't keep my promise to her gramps that she'll continue her education!_

Dr. Sanada beckoned; Kagome stood up without sparing Sha a glance and followed the doctor into the inner office. She made a point of firmly closing the door instead of allowing the hanyou to eavesdrop, and the psychologist noticed. "Is something wrong, Mrs. Nishiki?"

She waved off his concern as she took a seat. "Minor stuff."

He inspected her over the rim of his glasses before pushing them up his nose. "How are your nephews?"

"Much better, thank you. Um, can we get on with this...?"

"Very well."

He briefly explained his proposed course of action; Kagome listened carefully before smiling ruefully. "Is your secretary fully human as well?" she asked.

"No... he has a stag-youkai somewhere way back in his family tree."

"Better send him on a break; I don't know if the door will contain my spiritual power if my visualizations become a little too intense."

Dr. Sanada tilted his head. "Shall I warn your husband as well?"

"Sure... but he won't be happy about it."

The sandy-haired doctor did as she suggested, and once both Sha and the receptionist were cooling their heels in the hallway, he closed both doors. The black-haired hanyou was predictably unimpressed with the situation, but agreed that it was safer for all concerned. "You sure you're one hundred percent human?" he asked Sanada.

"I am fairly certain of it. I have so far been unable to see this infamous killer aura of hers."

"Count yourself lucky."

If Dr. Sanada took longer than usual in coaching her through the relaxation exercises, his patient didn't appear to notice the extra time he was giving her to calm down. Kagome breathed deep, the tension leaving her body as she rolled the volcanic stone between her fingers_. If I can keep my wits, I should be able to do this._ His voice remained distinct against the background buzz, a soothing thread to hang onto as she carefully visualized those horrifying minutes when she was naked and helpless in Naraku's clutches.

She thought she was prepared for it, but the thundering maelstrom of negative emotions that slammed through her psyche left her panicking and her heart racing from the adrenaline, but she fought back with every fibre of her being. _No! I __have__ to succeed, or I'll __never__ have a chance at an ordinary life! _Struggling to control her focus, Kagome clung to the arm of the chair with one hand and gripped the stone so tightly in the other that her nails started to chip as she broke out in a cold sweat. The brightly-painted office disappeared from her vision, replaced by swirling, suffocating darkness.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

Out in the hallway, Sha's _youki_ prickled in warning just before the walls and floor began vibrating. _Holy gods!_ Letting out a yell, he grabbed the receptionist and raced down the shaking corridor, trying to put as much distance between them and the office door as possible.

"Mr. Nishiki? Wh-what are you…?" the man gasped, rather flummoxed by his current position slung over Sha's shoulder.

"Not taking _any_ chances! When Kagome's spiritual power goes off, there's no telling what might happen!"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

The blackness surrounding her coalesced into the red-eyed, fanged, silver-haired face that haunted her nightmares, writhing tentacles enclosing her in an undulating cage. Closing her eyes to shut out the image, Kagome realized that she wasn't in any pain, and the wriggling appendages weren't touching her. _Okay; it can't hurt me. Now to convince the Jewel of that._ Inhaling deeply, she concentrated on the rough texture of the granite in her hand and when she was ready, she opened her eyes to face Kikyo's fears.

Staring defiantly at the nightmarish countenance, Kagome began peeling away Naraku's borrowed dog-hanyou features. The silver hair slowly turned black and became ropy while the canine ears slid down the sides of the apparition's head to become smaller and more rounded. Resistance rose inside her, the Jewel stubbornly refusing to let go of the negative energy created by the image. _Is that what it wants? Fear and anger?_ Puzzled, Kagome closed her eyes in order to consider this development without distraction. _It must be the demons inside the Jewel that are feeding off the darker emotions; surely Lady Kikyo can understand that she isn't helping either herself or Lady Midoriko...?_

Even more determined, she opened her eyes and set about stripping away the final vestiges of Sha's appearance from the threatening visage, leaving her with the empty eyes and bony, arachnid features of Naraku's final form. She studied the skeletal face while her heart rate slowed and the sweat dried as the tension in her body relaxed. _Did it work? _ The image of the dead hanyou slowly disappeared into bright white light of the same intensity as just before her consciousness was ejected from the Jewel. _I wasn't expecting this to also be on the day's agenda! _

Steeling herself for what could be a difficult confrontation, Kagome organized her thoughts. _Lady Kikyo... can you hear me? _There was no immediate response, but she soldiered on. _Do you remember the injured bandit that you nursed in the cave just before you, er, died? Onigumo? A credible witness told me that he gave up his body to youkai the night before your death and gained a new form that could shape-shift. He deliberately took on Sha, um, Inuyasha's appearance that morning so that you would believe you had been betrayed by your love. _

Despite the discouraging lack of reaction from her long-deceased predecessor, Kagome didn't falter. _Onigumo also pretended to be __you__ in order to provoke Inuyasha into attacking the village, with the intention of corrupting the Jewel even further before he seized it. What I'm trying to say is, Inuyasha didn't betray you; he loved you._ Waiting patiently, feeling much calmer than she had in a couple of weeks, Kagome tried again to visualize the interior landscape of the Jewel. However, instead of the churning, dimly-lit battlefield of demonic body parts, she found herself in a breeze-rippled, flower-strewn meadow.

A seated figure dressed in white and red appeared, conversing with a second person. Drawing closer, Kagome saw that it was a youthful-looking Sha, wearing the brilliant scarlet robes she'd last seen on Mount Mihara. He was crouched about a bow's length away from Kikyo, his handsome features arranged in a familiar scowl. As he stood up, the priestess tucked loose strands behind her ear and smiled softly up at the hanyou; Kagome watched Sha's fierce expression melt away, his velvety ears drooping as his golden eyes widened. His answering smile was hesitant but genuine before he leapt away, the embodiment of fluid grace and restrained power. _He really __is__ something special._

Both women watched the hanyou disappear into the bright haze, and then Kikyo unexpectedly made eye contact with Kagome. _'Thank you for telling me of Onigumo's devilry... in my heart, I never truly believed that Inuyasha betrayed our love,' _she murmured, relief evident on her lovely face.

"That's why you sealed him instead of purifying him, right?"

Kikyo nodded, then her expression changed, becoming quietly resigned. _'Unless you can cut the Jewel's ties to the world of the living, the Shikon miko can never be an ordinary woman.'_

"Do you have _any_ idea what the 'right wish' might be?"

'_I cannot say,'_ Kikyo replied, and Kagome felt her genuine regret at having to give that answer. _'The correct wish will change not only the Jewel's destiny, but the Shikon miko's as well. We are counting on you to end this cycle.'_ The white veil encroached, blurring the priestess' image until there was only blinding incandescence, which slowly faded to the ordinary darkness inside her eyelids. _Whew! That wasn't so bad!_

Kagome nearly jumped out of her seat a moment after that because Sha's intense violet eyes were only inches away from hers. "_Eep!_ Don't _do_ that! Are you _trying_ to become a crispy critter?" she gasped, fighting to still her suddenly-pounding heart. His delighted grin confused her, to say the least.

"Your aura isn't reacting," he gleefully informed her. "After the explosion a few minutes ago, I figured we were _completely_ screwed for being in the same building from now on, but look at yourself!"

"Huh?" Kagome obediently looked herself over and instantly noticed the change. Only her hands still glimmered with spiritual power, as if she had rubbed her skin with a shimmering lotion. Pushing up the sleeves of her sweater, she confirmed that the deadly aura no longer extended through her clothing. As hope began surging through her, Sha beckoned forward the receptionist.

"Your levels of _youki_ are ridiculously low, so let's see how close you can get."

Kagome defensively leaned back. "I _don't_ think that's a good idea!"

The blond man smiled reassuringly. "Mr. Nishiki has informed me of your difficulties to date, ma'am. I would be honoured to be a 'test subject'."

"Are you _sure_? It could be really, really, _really_ painful if the Jewel objects!"

"My blood is about ninety-eight percent human... apparently my _youki_ is so weak as to be non-existent... so I doubt there will be much pain involved." After squinting carefully to check his lack of aura for herself, Kagome held out her hand. He tapped her palm with his fingertips, and when nothing happened, they briefly clasped hands. "I can feel a very slight tingling, like there's a tiny bug skittering across my skin," he said. "_Very_ interesting!"

"This is great!" she enthused after making sure the Jewel hadn't left burn marks. When Sha eagerly stepped forward, though, she demurred. "I think we should maybe find a volunteer with less youkai blood than you, but more than this gentleman."

"Dr. Ueda may be game," Dr. Sanada said. "He is one-eighth youkai, I believe."

"I'll call his office," the receptionist offered, and within a minute or two, the horse-hanyou trotted into the room.

"I didn't realize that you were a personification of Nai-no-Kami as well as the Shikon miko, Mrs. Nishiki," Bakumon joked. At Kagome's blank look, he glanced at the other occupants of the room before explaining, "The blast of spiritual power you released earlier shook the entire building."

"Oh! I'm, er, sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "It must have been when I confronted my memory of Naraku."

"No harm done." He critically inspected her appearance. "Your aura has noticeably retracted, so I willingly offer myself as a test subject."

"So I _might_ harm you," Kagome mumbled unhappily.

"The Shikon-no-Tama may object, but perhaps your level of control is better?"

"That's debateable."

"I shall be prepared to flee." Dr. Ueda held out his large hand, palm up, and Kagome reluctantly stretched out her fingers, prepared to snatch them back at the slightest negative response_. I feel surprisingly peaceful... like a weight has lifted. Maybe this is the effect of talking to Lady Kikyo?_ Brushing against his palm, she waited for the tell-tale flare of his _youki_ coming into contact with her spiritual power, but again, nothing damaging happened. Cautiously resting her hand on his, she could barely contain her elation when the Jewel remained quiescent. Bakumon scratched his ear. "I felt only a mild tingle. We should try again... but this time without my concealment spell, which suppresses my _youki_ to a certain extent."

He removed his name tag, and Kagome found herself looking at a chestnut-skinned man with a white blaze down the centre of his long face, highly-set pointed ears and a wild mane of black and white hair, now outlined by a vivid spring green aura. The liquid brown eyes were the same, however, and they twinkled merrily at her stunned reaction. "I expect that your children's colouring will take after Lord Sha, since his father, like my great-grandfather, was a taiyoukai of his kind," Dr. Ueda cheekily observed.

Kagome blinked at Sha's goofy grin, then blushed furiously. "I, er, hadn't thought that far ahead... shall we try again?" When their hands touched, the pale pink energy coating her skin thickened slightly, but it still permitted the contact.

"Good. Now let us try increasing the threat level." Bakumon unleashed his _youki_ and the fresh green of his aura turned dark from the infusion of _jyaki_. Kagome's spiritual power instantly rose in response and he hastily disengaged. "Excellent. It appears that the Shikon-no-Tama is now differentiating between regular _youki_ and _jyaki_." Bakumon shook her hand in the Western fashion once his _youki_ was back to normal. "Well done, Lady Kagome."

"I didn't really _do_ anything," she hedged.

"My turn," Sha declared eagerly, and Dr. Ueda bowed out of the way. Her hanyou smiled down at her, his spell-concealed dark eyes alight with excitement, before he attempted to touch her cheek. There was a loud crackle and he yelped, his fingertips smoking. "What the fucking hell?" he demanded, glaring at Kagome as if it was her fault.

"I-I don't know...!" Helpless, she looked to Bakumon, who was plainly shocked. "Why would the Jewel accept you, but not Sha?"

Dr. Sanada cleared his throat. "It's obvious that Mr. Nishiki has too much youkai blood."

The dog-hanyou stared at the psychologist, opened his mouth, then closed it again before continuing to blow on his singed fingers. His shoulders slumping, he muttered, "_Dammit_."

"What we need is a full-blooded youkai to make sure that the Jewel is reacting negatively to higher levels of _youki_, not simply to Lord Sha," Bakumon said, his broad brow furrowing in thought. "Don't we have a couple of wolf-youkai in the physiotherapy department?"

"They're off today; something about a run out to Mount Fuji," the receptionist chimed in. "I think they're training for a marathon."

"I know exactly where we can find a full-blood," Sha said grimly. "C'mon, Kagome. We'll see if the Jewel likes Sess any better."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Well, at least we know that the Jewel is now reacting only to youkai who are at least half-bloods... unless there's _jyaki_ involved," Kagome sighed, running her fingers through her hair and wondering if she should brush it before tucking herself under the quilt. "Doesn't really help our situation, though."

"There's one thing we didn't test," Sha said, his voice muffled by the heavy curtains surrounding her futon.

"What's that?" she asked, turning towards the opening as he parted the hangings, then let out a panicked shriek before diving under the blanket. "Are you _insane_?"

"You talked to Kikyo, right?" Ears flattened into silver hair at her dismayed reaction, the hanyou tossed his concealment anchor onto the mattress next to Kagome's pillow. Seating himself beside the futon, he waited. When she remained undercover, Sha impatiently flipped back the blanket.

She covered her eyes with her hands. "You won't be able to escape the Jewel if you're in here! Get outside the curtains, so at least you have a chance!" Kagome wailed.

"I can see your aura, and it isn't any more threatening than it was in the quack's office... before I tried to touch you, that is. Suck it up and look at me, Kagome. I _have_ to know."

The young woman unwillingly peered through her fingers. Long legs encased in dark blue fleece trousers were crossed, his bare feet just visible under the soft folds of fabric. Silver pooled on the _tatami_ mat next to a knee, then an elbow propped on that same knee led her eye upward. _Shirtless? At least he could've worn his fire-rat for __some__ protection!_ His chin rested on his fist; it took Kagome a long time to find the courage to look above Sha's mouth, but she finally met his golden eyes. There was a long moment, when absolutely _nothing_ happened, before she dared to look directly at him.

Sha smiled, showing off his fang-tips, and still the Jewel didn't react. "At least that's a fucking improvement," he muttered. "Now it can tell the difference between you being scared _for_ me, not _of_ me."

Kagome wiped a shaking hand across her sweaty brow. "I was _terrified_, you idiot!" she snapped. "At least you could've warned me!"

"And listened to a hundred reasons why we shouldn't do this? Better to get it over with fast." Reaching behind him, he piled a pillow and blanket in his lap, then waited expectantly, watching her through his bangs.

_Forgiveness is a virtue… on both sides._ The young woman moved over, leaving one side of the futon open. Sha arranged his pillow, wrapped himself in the blanket and stretched out beside her. They simply gazed at each other for several moments before Kagome made the first move. "I'm glad that you don't have to wear your concealment spell any more," she ventured, twirling several strands of his silver sidelock around her finger.

"I'd rather wear it and be able to kiss you, if that made the difference," he grumbled, watching her braid the length of hair.

"Tough weekend, huh?" Kagome mumbled, not quite meeting his gaze.

"Keh. You going back to class tomorrow?" Her despairing scent broadcast her answer even before she spoke, but Sha cut her off. "We're big boys, Kagome, and we all know the risks of being your guardian. You can't quit now, or your gramps will get up my nose because I promised him you'd finish your education."

"When did you do _that_?"

"On our wedding day."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I just don't want anyone else to be hurt."

"There's risk involved with _anything_ worth having," Sha replied, and his tone implied he meant more than just her future medical degree. When Kagome peeked at him, she caught her breath at the tenderness in his expression. "Don't freak out on me now... I wanna try something." Bringing up his hand, he carefully skimmed his aura against hers, gauging the safety zone.

"I can feel the warmth from your fingers," she murmured. "Feels nice… _eep!_"

"I said, _don't_ freak out," he breathed, his mouth barely a quarter-inch away from her cheek. Scootching closer, Sha used the quilts between them as a flimsy shield while ghosting his lips over hers. Their noses brushed, and a light jolt had him pulling back, but only for a moment. She arched her neck in invitation, then shivered delicately at the sensations of his warm breath, accompanied by the faintest tingle of power, skating over her skin.

Her nipples hardening, Kagome spared a thought for what it would feel like if Sha paid the same attentions to her breasts, and almost immediately experienced desire pooling low in her belly. _He can smell that, too… uh-oh._

A warning crackle forced Sha to move away as his _youki_ expanded, sharpening his sense of smell so that he could still enjoy her alluring scent from a safer distance. "Dammit, girl! You'll be the death of me yet," he muttered, inhaling deeply as he flopped back onto his pillow.

"Playing with fire," she agreed, trying to ignore the surging arousal that practically demanded that she touch herself to relieve it. Her state of mind wasn't helped when the hanyou smirked knowingly, his eyes so dark with _want_ that the gold had been reduced to a bright rim.

"Burn, baby, burn." As Kagome rolled her eyes and threatened him with her pillow, Sha tangled a fistful of her dark hair and rubbed it against his cheek, then over his bare chest. Grinning at her wide-eyed look and rising blush, he shoved the blanket out of the way and stroked her tresses over his abdomen. "It's still the only part of you that can safely touch me," he murmured. "Unfortunately." When she looked away, he gently tugged on the glossy strands. "I'm not bitching... honest. I don't know how you managed to keep it all together while facing Naraku again."

"Did I really shake the building?"

"Knocked a couple of ugly pictures off the wall in the hallway." Continuing to rub her hair over his skin, Sha got an idea when Kagome's gaze followed his motions and her scent deepened again. "Why don't you try it?" he invited, slyly hoping for at least a glimpse of her naked stomach.

She carefully gathered a handful of silver, choosing from the longest strands, and hesitantly pressed her nose into the gleaming bundle. "It's very soft," she commented. "But there's some coarser hairs running through it that I've never noticed before."

"Guard hairs. Dog-youkai, remember?" Sha lazily smirked, watching her through his lashes as he deliberately stretched to attract her attention back to the matter at hand. Kagome was attracted all right, and then bit her lip, her blush returning full-force as she watched the sensuous patterns her hair created on his golden skin.

Then it was his turn to have the blood rush to his face – along with other, more sensitive body parts - when the young woman folded back her quilt and shyly unbuttoned her pyjama top. Hesitantly parting the pink flannel, she self-consciously stroked the handful of his hair between her breasts and down over her stomach. It wasn't long until her breasts were completely bare, her breathing growing quicker and heavier as she succumbed to the pure sensuality of the moment.

"_Gods_, Kagome!" the hanyou hoarsely rasped, his gaze riveted on her perky nipples. Her pale skin flushed rosy all over at his lustful tone and she ducked her head in embarrassment, covering herself with a silver veil that still tantalizingly hinted at the delectable curves underneath. Sha couldn't restrain himself; in a flash, he was crouched over her and yanking his hair out of her grip to reveal her shapely form.

The young woman squeaked and froze. "Sha, be _careful_!"

"I'm just gonna look," he promised softly against her ear, but then trailed moist air down the side of her throat until his mouth hovered just above one of her nipples, close enough that the combination of his heated breath and the mingling of their auras had her gasping and arching upward, instinctively seeking a more tangible caress. Sha jerked away; pressing the back of his hand to his stinging lips as he straightened, he grumbled, "Ya gotta hold still."

"I'd like to see you 'hold still' if I tried that!" Kagome protested, her jiggling bosom making him lick his scorched lips. She squirmed a little, trying to surreptitiously relieve the desire building between her legs, but that movement released a potent waft of her arousal into the air. The seductive scent hit Sha full in the libido and made his _youki _fairly howl with delight... until her protective energy began sizzling warningly.

Bolting upright and away before their auras came to blows, Sha was panting and wild-eyed. "I gotta go take care of something," he muttered before darting through the curtains, leaving a surprised and concerned Kagome behind.

_He's in the bathroom... oh, gods, did I zap him?_ Listening carefully, she was first puzzled by the strangled sounds the hanyou was making across the hall, and then turned several shades of red when she figured it out. Pulling the quilts up over her head, she huddled down in the futon, feeling like an idiot... until a completely erotic image of what Sha was doing re-ignited her own arousal so hard and fast that it made her glad that she was already lying down. Sliding her hand into her pyjama bottoms, Kagome quickly followed Sha's example, and by the time he returned smelling of fresh soap, she was fast asleep.

He paused in the opening between the curtains, taking in the relaxed smile on her face and correctly guessing at the reason. _Dammit, the night of the new fucking moon can't come fast enough! I hope she's ready, because I'm already so damn horny that I'll have to tie a knot in it if she isn't! _The spicy scent of Kagome's release hung heavy in the air of the enclosed space, and he groaned. Tying back the fabric panel to let air circulate, he headed back across the hall for a cold shower. _This is just __not__ fucking __fair__!_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**Inari: **God/goddess of the crucial rice harvest and patron of kitsunes.

**Handguns: **Japanese mafia groups follow the traditional samurai familial structure; senior members are referred to as 'elder brothers' and junior as 'younger brothers' (as seen earlier with the Band of Seven in this fic). Women have been known to lead crime families, but in most cases they took over for deceased husbands as interim bosses. Handguns are highly illegal in Japan, and involvement with them is considered to be a sure sign of gang membership, which is why the nurse was suspicious that Tsugane and Tenmaru were wounded _yakuza_ lieutenants.

**Netsuke:** Tiny, highly collectible art objects once carried by sophisticates at the Imperial court. They were kinda-sorta the cellphone straps of their day, sometimes attached to fans or other personal accessories and depicting a vast range of animals, humans or spirits engaged in activities ranging from the erotic to the mundane. They were carved out of a variety of materials, with ivory being particularly favoured.

**Nai-no-Kami:** Japanese god of earthquakes. Feared above all other Shinto gods and goddesses because he can wipe out all of them in one cataclysmic blow.


	20. Sacrifice

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _InuYasha_; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

**A/N:** Thank you all _very_ much for reading! I'll really miss working with Miss Buyo and the brats!

**Bouquets** to my wonderful, demanding, encouraging betas: Ranuel, who inspired the whole dang fic in the first place, and SilverOnTheRose for her unflagging enthusiasm. The two of 'em are a right pair o' kitsunes, and I'm _very_ grateful for their input. Also, many thanks to Forthright for her bunny-wrangling expertise before other commitments ate her free time!

**Warnings: Coarse language, ****heavy**** citrus content (approximately one-third of the way through and again at the end), angst.**

**The Price**

**Chapter Twenty: Sacrifice **

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wisteria House, Tuesday evening...**_

"Welcome home!" Karin chirped, practically bouncing up and down in the foyer.

_She's brighter-eyed and bushier-tailed than anyone has a right to be after a full day of classes._ Kagome beckoned the teenager into Wisteria House's main room, where she was organizing her homework for the evening. "Thank you; how was your day?"

"Same old, same old," she groaned, plunking down at the _kotatsu _and setting aside a cloth-wrapped bundle. "My profs are really piling it on the closer we come to the end of the year."

"Same here. What's your major?"

"I attend a women's college, also known in certain circles as a 'finishing school', where the electives include flower arranging, the appropriate attire for the tea ceremony, tips for dealing with servants, correct posture... y'know, really relevant stuff if I ever want to assert control over my heritance," Karin replied with a grin. Cackling at Kagome's expression, she added, "I was supposed to graduate with a nice, polite degree in household management, marry a scion from the old nobility and produce a pedigreed passel of children while gracefully ignoring my husband's mistresses and gambling debts."

"Sounds perfectly _hideous_."

The teenager became briefly serious. "I'm _so_ glad that I met Lord Sesshiro now! Can you imagine the scandal if I'd already been married off and _then_ met him?" She smirked evilly. "My uncle would have had a heart attack!"

"So you're really doing your guardians a favour?"

"Exactly!" Karin agreed. Her eyes sparkling, she handed over the bundle. "Here... I'm returning the clothes that your mom loaned me, like, a hundred years ago."

"Oh, thanks! I would've missed the sweatshirt during exams next month," Kagome exclaimed.

"Your husband didn't thank me; he says that it makes his eyes bleed."

"In that case, maybe I'll wear it to dinner tonight." Opening the parcel, Kagome separated the hot pink sweatshirt from the jeans and underwear and shook it out, then noticed that Karin was nervously twirling her hair. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not really... um, but may I ask you something?"

Kagome put down the garment and gave the teen her full attention. "Is it about being a reincarnation?"

"Oh, no! Lord Sesshiro and Mrs. Nishino have covered all that," she airily replied. "Er, I was wondering... I know this is a little unusual... um, would you mind... uh, I'd really like to call you 'Sister', if I may?" The request came out in a rush before Karin returned to twisting her hair into knots.

Kagome started at the abruptness, not to mention social impropriety, of the request, but the shy hope in the young woman's face gave her pause. "Well, er... I suppose so, since you'll be marrying Elder Brother eventually...." Karin's brilliant smile took her breath away.

"Thank you, thank you!" the girl burbled, bowing enthusiastically before rounding the table and affectionately hugging the startled woman. "Brother said it would be all right, but I wanted to have your permission!"

"Oi... I think you've squished all the air out of her, Sis."

Karin leapt to her feet and to Kagome's considerable astonishment, bounded across the room to greet Sha in the same highly informal manner. _Brother__?_ _Is she going to lick his nose, too?_

Sha easily detected Kagome's consternation, and couldn't help a small smirk as he disentangled from Karin. _Now you know what it feels like when you have to watch someone else hugging your mate!_ "I don't mind the personal touch but my brother might, so keep that in mind," he said to the teen, tweaking her nose.

"Why would it bother him?" she wanted to know, scowling cutely. "He doesn't care if I hug the boys."

"Because I'm another adult male, not one of his brats. You'll see; he really won't like my scent on you."

Karin brushed at her sweater as if to remove the offending odour. "Ohhh... this is one of those 'marking' thingies, right?"

"Yep. That's why Kagome wears my t-shirts after I've worn them... so my scent can transfer to her skin," he said, pulling his concealment anchor over his head and reverting to his natural colouring.

Completely unfazed by the dramatic change in his appearance, Karin asked, "You _still_ can't touch each other?" When Sha adopted a puppy-eyed pout, she thought for a moment, then stepped up close and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Give me a hug, Brother... a _good_ one," she demanded. Intrigued, he complied and left her gasping. "_Oof!_ Not _that_ tight!" Swatting the hanyou's arm, Karin galloped across the room and pounced on Kagome before the older woman could fend her off. Squeezing, the teen happily announced, "Indirect hug!"

Sha couldn't help laughing at Kagome's mortified expression. "You really are something else, Sis," he snickered.

The teenager sat back and grasped Kagome's hands. "I'm so _incredibly_ happy to have a family again I just can't contain myself! After my parents died, the _only_ person in my life who ever showed me any physical affection was my housekeeper, Mrs. Ueda... so I have _lots_ of hugging to get out of my system," Karin declared.

Kagome mentally kicked herself. _I forget not everyone is lucky enough to have a loving family like mine. _Pulling her hands free, she leaned forward to wrap her arms around Karin's shoulders. "I'm honoured, Sister." The teen made a happy noise and practically curled up in Kagome's lap, despite the fact that she was nearly as tall and only a couple of years younger.

Sha watched Kagome hesitantly overcome her social inhibitions to cautiously pet Karin's hair, trying to not let his jealousy show over someone else enjoying her touch, until something occurred to him. "Oi, Sis... does Sess let you climb all over him?"

Karin pulled a face. "No, but I wouldn't try it, anyways. He's just too dignified, y'know?"

The hanyou smirked. "I have a feeling that he wouldn't mind if you messed up his hair a little."

She waved dismissively. "He let me comb it after his bath yesterday."

"What was he wearing?"

"A _yukata_," Karin answered, clearly puzzled. "What else would he be wearing?"

"Fur," Sha blandly replied, his amber eyes twinkling. "Next time, ask him what that _yukata_ is made out of, but _don't_ tell him I'm the one who suggested it."

"A bit of a troublemaker, eh?" Karin mused, her eyes sparkling. "We're going to get along _famously_, Brother."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Ajisai Clinic, Wednesday afternoon...**_

"Mrs. Nishiki? I was wondering... would you be so kind as to take a look at a patient for a colleague of mine?"

Kagome gave the sandy-haired psychologist a curious glance as she tucked away her focus stone. "Um, sure... I guess. Why me?"

"It's an unusual case that your unique powers may be able to resolve," Dr. Sanada replied. "Your husband might also find this interesting." Stepping out into the waiting room, he smiled winningly at Sha who was already on his feet and slinging the Tetsusaiga across his back.

"What's so 'unusual' about it?" the hanyou asked.

"We think it may be a case of possession, and we're hoping that Mrs. Nishiki's spiritual powers might be able to identify and defeat the youkai if that is indeed the case."

"I've never exorcised anything!" Kagome protested as she hop-skipped to keep up with Daisuke's and Sha's longer strides.

"You mentioned that you were able to purify _shouki_, which is a form of _jyaki_, correct?" he queried, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Only if the patient is human."

"As it happens, the patient _is_ human... a young child," Dr. Sanada said, pausing in front of the fire door leading to a different wing. "Her parents are desperate. Ready?"

Kagome exchanged glances with Sha; he smiled encouragingly. "If there _is_ something lurking inside the kid, you should be able to at least drive it out. Tetsusaiga can take care of it from there."

The young woman wrinkled her nose at him. "Try not to bring the building down on top of us, okay?"

Dr. Sanada's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. "You're joking... right?" he asked nervously.

"I'll be careful," the hanyou breezily promised. The psychologist eyed him before opening the door and leading them down the brightly-painted hallway of a paediatric ward.

Rapping lightly on a door decorated with a chubby panda holding an empty bowl in one paw and a wooden sign that read 'More Rice, Please!' in the other, he waited for a moment before opening the panel. "Good afternoon! I've brought the outside consultants that I mentioned earlier," Daisuke announced to the couple seated on either side of the narrow bed. As they stood up and bowed, he made the introductions. "Mr and Mrs. Nishiki, this is Mr and Mrs. Godai... and their daughter, Haruka."

The wan-looking mother twisted a handkerchief in her hands. "Can you help us?" she asked softly, her voice tremulous.

Kagome tried to look confident when she felt anything but. "I'll do my best, ma'am. Um, what happened to your daughter?"

Mr. Godai answered, his tone heavy with weariness. "She was absolutely fine until yesterday afternoon, when she suddenly began running a temperature."

"Her fever was so high that she had a seizure early this morning," Mrs. Godai added. "She fell into a coma on the way to the clinic."

Behind Kagome, Sha spoke up. "Have you recently acquired an antique of some kind, or inherited a family heirloom?"

The couple looked startled. "Yes," Mr. Godai said. "A very old statue of the goddess Kannon, left to me by my grandmother. Why?"

"It may have a bearing on the situation," the spell-concealed hanyou replied, smiling disarmingly. "We'll know more once my wife has examined your daughter."

Dr. Sanada took the cue. "Would you please step outside?" he asked, gesturing. "Help yourselves to some tea in the patient lounge; this may take a little while." Ushering the couple out of the room, he returned within a few moments and firmly closed the door behind him.

"What are you stickin' around for, Doc?" Sha wanted to know.

"Since I'm the only accredited medical professional out of the three of us, I need to be here to forge the reports if something goes sideways."

"Er, right." Sha scrutinized the psychologist, as if seeing him in a new light. "You're okay, Doc."

Daisuke raised an eyebrow even as he inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Kagome had cautiously approached the bed's small, unconscious occupant. _She's only about five years old, poor little thing._ "Why did you ask about antiques or heirlooms, Sha?"

"Cursed or possessed objects... like that damned frog-youkai inside that hibachi, for instance... can cause these sorts of symptoms if the evil force inside transfers to a human host." Reaching over his shoulder, he expertly unzipped the carrying case and drew his sword. Dr. Sanada let out a muffled yelp and hopped back a step as the battered blade hissed into its true form.

"That's definitely _jyaki_," Kagome murmured, bending over the little girl to better inspect the tiny wisps of dark energy flickering over the child's skin. "It's faint, but I suppose in someone of this size, it wouldn't take much."

Sha hefted the gleaming weapon. "My money's on a weasel-youkai because the bastards like to prey on the helpless. See if you can persuade it to leave, Kagome."

"Leave? Then what?" He grinned toothily and waved Tetsusaiga, but the young woman shot him a quelling look. "I'd like to remind you – again - that we're _inside_ a building."

"I doubt that I'll have to Kaze-no-Kizu anything," he said, refusing to be cowed. "If it _is_ a weasel-youkai, you'll probably be able to finish it off without my help." Glancing at Daisuke, Sha directed, "Better stay behind me, Doc. Wouldn't want you getting accidentally possessed or anything." Eyeing the massive sword, Dr. Sanada agreed and wedged himself into the far corner of the room.

Kagome smiled wryly as she carefully folded back the blankets covering the little girl's torso, avoiding all the tubes currently attached to her small body. "No delicacy required, I suppose... just zapping it with as much power as possible?"

"Yep. You'll either vaporize it or drive it out... and then I'll take care of it," he said gleefully.

"Try not to sound so bored."

Sha chuckled indulgently at the barb. "Just get on with it, girl."

Her spiritual power sparked and crackled as she focussed on a desire to protect the child. _Stay in control_ Kagome mentally chanted, watching the pink coating on her hands turn into roseate flames_._ She'd barely touched the little girl before a loud sizzling sound filled the room. The dark energy immediately peeled away like sooty ribbons, coalescing above the bed in a menacing cloud before literally diving beneath the sheets like a hideous swarm of bees. Kagome ripped back the covers, revealing a battered-looking plush goose that fairly pulsated with _jyaki_ as an outraged sepulchral snarl vibrated the air.

"Zap it again!" Sha yelled, raising the Tetsusaiga, the white _youki_ whirling down its length. As Kagome grabbed for the stuffed toy, a hideous shriek momentarily deafened them... and then a large, white-furred creature burst out of the toy's belly, its fanged mouth opened wide and its claws extended as its sinuous body curled back on itself in mid-air and lunged for the young woman.

"_Vile priestess! How __dare__ you deprive me of my meal!"_ the red-eyed being spat. Kagome threw herself over the little girl's body, willing the Jewel's power to expand far enough to cover them both, but her protective gesture wasn't necessary. The youkai went down in a welter of gore as Sha hacked it into pieces.

"Are exorcisms always this... messy?" Dr. Sanada shakily asked in the quiet that followed.

Sha used Tetsusaiga to prod a twitching chunk of flesh and fur. "Just as I thought... a fucking weasel. If it had stayed put, Kagome probably could've turned it into ash." Glancing around at the fluids spattering the walls, he sheepishly offered, "Sorry about that."

"_Eeyew!_ What _are_ these things?" Both men turned towards the bed, where Kagome was staring at the child with a mixture of disgust and fascination.

"What things?"

"_Those_ things... right _there_!" she exclaimed, pointing at the girl's pillow.

Squinting, Sha scratched his ear before checking with an equally-puzzled Daisuke. "We don't see anything, Kagome."

She looked over her shoulder. "Little, squishy-looking, imp-like things, wrapped in chains and carrying spears... you really can't see them?"

The hanyou immediately straightened. "The messengers of the underworld?" he murmured in an awed tone.

"What do they want? They're wriggling and chittering and... ick! _Don't touch her!_" The young woman swatted at thin air.

Sha shook himself. "They've come for the kid's soul! If you can purify them, you can save her life!"

Kagome instantly swiped at the gibbering creatures with pink-coated hands; they looked notably surprised as they melted away. A split-second after that, the little girl gave a choked cry, her eyes fluttering open. "M-Mama?" she weakly called, her dull gaze fastened Kagome.

"No, sweetie... but your mama will be here in a jiffy," the young woman smiled, tucking the blankets back into place as Sha hastily sheathed Tetsusaiga and helped Daisuke cover up the youkai's remains with a sheet.

"Mousse?" the little girl asked plaintively, turning her head as if looking for something.

"D'you mean this?" Kagome retrieved the stuffed goose, absently noting that the toy appeared to be wearing oversized glasses perched on its yellow beak as she surreptitiously gave it an extra jolt of purification power. Haruka held out her hands for the toy and cuddled it close.

"T'ank you," she mumbled, her fingers worrying the goose's large, plush feet.

Kagome pressed her hand against the child's sweaty forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Haruka sighed. "Where's Mama?"

Dr. Sanada stepped forward, mindful of the blood pooling on the floor. "I don't think you need that oxygen mask anymore." He carefully removed the mask and the IV lines, then quickly checked for alarming blood stains.

"Is the bad kitty gone?" Haruka abruptly asked, her frightened glance flitting around the room; Sha flinched at the sourness in her scent. "It said it was gonna eat me," the little girl whispered fearfully.

"Mr and Mrs. Nishiki made it go away," Dr. Sanada said.

Haruka's jaw dropped. "You saw it?" she eagerly asked, and then her face fell. "Papa didn't b'lieve me."

"Sometimes adults are like that," Dr. Sanada gently observed. "Let's go see your mama and papa, shall we? They'll be very happy that you're all better." Bundling Haruka into a fresh blanket, he carried her across the room; Sha opened the door for them, but when Kagome made to follow, he barred the opening with his arm.

When Dr. Sanada halted, the hanyou said, "I gotta talk to Kagome. Tell the kid's dad to take that statue to the nearest temple and have a sealing sutra slapped on it as soon as possible… today, preferably." Once the psychologist nodded and continued on his way towards the lounge at the end of the hall, the hanyou hustled his wife in the other direction. As soon as they were through the fire doors, he blurted out, "You really saw the imps?"

"I saw _something_," she answered. "They were awful-looking... oh, wait! I know where I've seen them before! There's a scroll at the shrine that depicts the eight hells!"

"Keep your voice down," Sha chided as they passed a nursing station. "If you saw the messengers of the underworld, then the cat was right."

"Miss Buyo? What are you talking about?"

They turned down another corridor. "Back when Mistress Centipede chomped on you, the cat said that if you could harness the Jewel's power, you could save people that were about to croak."

"So by purifying those imps...."

"You literally saved the kid's life." Sha gave her a considering look. "The only other person I know who can do that is my brother, but only if Tenseiga's in a cooperative mood."

Kagome smiled softly. "Saving lives... I _like_ the sound of that."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Western House, late Friday afternoon...**_

"Thank the gods that week's over! Could they give us any more homework if they tried?" Tsugane griped, tapping his long fingers on the steering wheel as he impatiently waited for the grillwork gates of the parking courtyard to open.

"With the party tomorrow, it's going to be a real challenge to finish everything for Monday," Kagome sighed. "Late shift tonight, I suppose?"

"I'm in," Tenmaru said from the back seat, closing his laptop. "There's some really interesting stuff in this new batch of scrolls from the Shrine."

"It's a date... hello, what do we have here?" All three of them sat forward when they spotted the gaggle of guardsmen blocking the garage door. Tsugane rapped his horn, and the troopers moved smartly out of the way, revealing part of a large packing crate.

"Oh ho... looks like Uncle's new toy has finally arrived," Tenmaru exclaimed.

"New toy?"

"It's a frickin' _monster_!" Tsugane whooped. Pulling into the garage, he scrambled out of his seat to join the admiring throng. Kagome followed much more slowly, catching glimpses of metallic paint and gleaming chrome between clustered bodies as she waited for Tenmaru. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she jumped when a deep-throated, mechanical roar vibrated the air. The guardsmen clapped their hands over their ears and fell back slightly, allowing her to see what the fuss was all about.

Sha sat astride a massive motorcycle, its contoured fairing adorned with a stylized pattern of windblown petals and the floral crest etched into the chromed wheels. He revved the engine again, and a flock of birds erupted out of the trees hanging over the inner walls. Kagome flinched away from the sheer volume, wondering how the hanyou could stand it with his sensitive hearing. _He __must__ be wearing ear plugs!_ The movement caught her husband's attention; grinning like a madman, Sha beckoned her forward. "Wanna go for a ride?" he gleefully yelled over the engine's thunder, patting the small, ridiculously-canted scrap of padded leather behind his saddle.

_I'd have to practically lie on top of him!_ "I wish I could," she answered, with a regretful smile.

He seemed surprised at her refusal, but then thought about it; his expression closed and he looked away, clenching his gloved fist. Kagome noted his flaring _youki_ and took the opportunity to slip away. As she passed through the inner gate, she heard Sha harshly demand his helmet, and then shout for the main gates to be opened. A hailstorm of gravel announced his departure, and she winced when she heard Tsugane's rather coarse opinion of his uncle's undisciplined exit_. I wonder if he chipped the paint on Ichiko's car? Actually, never mind that... I wonder how many guardsmen he dented?_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Western House, five hours later...**_

"_Why_ won't he answer?" Kagome huffed, slapping down Tenmaru's phone on the _kotatsu_'s polished surface.

"He's probably out of range," her nephew answered, stealthily retrieving his abused electronics.

"If he's on the bike, he _won't_ answer, because that'd be _incredibly_ dangerous at the speeds he's probably going," Tsugane chimed in.

"Thanks for reminding me that he's pretty much riding a widow-maker."

"It isn't _that_ bad, Auntie!" he protested. "Sure, it's really powerful... and really, _really_ fast... but Uncle's an experienced rider."

"Don't get cute with me, Ichiko; I looked up its stats. The fatality rates for those bikes are _scary_."

"Then don't read them; they only apply to humans, anyways."

"Oh, really? I'd think that hitting a solid object at 200 miles per hour would damage _anybody_, no matter their heritage."

"I'm sure Brother is all right," Karin said soothingly, marking a paragraph in her textbook. "Although, it _is_ kinda annoying that he hasn't called." Giving each of the hanyou present a pointed look, she added, "I don't think I'd put up with that."

"Make a note of that, Brother. 'Phone home often to avoid wrath of small, fierce alpha female'," Tsugane suggested, easily dodging Karin's retaliatory ear-tug. Scooping the squawking teenager into a bear hug, he shrugged. "Uncle has a sweet new ride, and he's giving it a road test. I'd do the same thing."

"Without checking in once in a while?" Kagome tartly asked, trying not to show her envy of Karin's freedom to touch any one she wanted without fear of injuring them as the playful tussle continued. "I can't see your father tolerating _that_."

Tenmaru peered over his laptop screen. "At risk of being yelled at, I would like to point out that Uncle has not had to worry about 'checking in' with anyone for quite a long time... a few centuries at last count."

"I'm sure he's just totally into it and lost track of time," Tsugane said quickly, eyeing Kagome's agitated aura even as he casually foiled every one of Karin's attempts to gain the upper hand. "Why're you so concerned? He _always_ comes home... eventually."

"I haven't lived with him long enough to know that _and_ he left Tetsusaiga behind."

The two hanyou exchanged glances. "Okay, _now_ I'm worried," Tenmaru muttered.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wisteria House, Midnight-ish...**_

_Dammit, what a time for my fucking battery to die! After last Friday, she's never gonna believe me that it was a fucking oversight!_ Sha half-expected to find the entry door locked, maybe with a note pinned to it curtly informing him that his futon had henceforth been moved into the main house, but to his relief, the wooden panel opened as usual. Quietly entering the foyer, he removed his boots and hung up his jacket, then stashed his helmet and gloves on a shelf.

Despite the trepidation he felt over what was bound to be a tricky conversation, Sha couldn't quite wipe the satisfied smirk off his face as he padded down the hallway towards her bedroom. _Hot damn, that was one helluva ride!_ Cautiously poking his head around the doorframe, just in case his appearance was greeted with thrown objects, he noted that the curtains surrounding Kagome's bed were lit from within. _Did she wait up? Might as well get it over with._ His ears perked up when he heard a muffled sound from within the draperies, then drooped when he thought he recognized it. _Shit. Is she crying?_ Slipping closer until he stood outside the fabric barrier, he inhaled deeply, searching for the tell-tale scent of tears... but instead received a full dose of a far more seductive scent that nearly bowled him over. Before he considered the full consequences of his actions, Sha ducked through the embroidered panels.

Her head was tilted back, exposing the lovely arch of her throat. Eyes closed, skin flushed, lips parted, Kagome moaned again, her hips undulating sensuously beneath the concealing quilt. Sha's throat went dry as his _youki_ rose, fuelled by the erotic sight, sounds and scent of the young woman's pleasure. _Gods, what I'd give to...! _

The brush of his aura as he leaned over her alerted her to his presence, but it still took Kagome a couple of seconds to realize that she had an audience, and another second beyond that to recognize _who_ had invaded her private party... but only a split-second to react. Flushing an interesting shade of red, she sat bolt upright and forced him back on his heels. While she hastily covered herself, folding her arms over her chest to keep her pyjama top closed, she snarled, "Where the _hell_ have you been?"

Sha had trouble regaining focus, because both his _youki_ and his libido were determinedly interfering with his thought processes. "My phone died, and I didn't notice until I tried to check my messages a couple of minutes ago."

The fight abruptly went out of her, and her expression changed from fury to weary concern. Rubbing a hand over her face, Kagome mumbled, "Do you have _any_ idea of how worried I was?"

"I'm _really_ sorry," he apologized, noting the pinched look around his wife's eyes and general air of exhaustion. Without thinking about it, the hanyou soothingly patted Kagome's leg through the thick blanket. "After last week, you musta thought the worst."

She smiled tiredly. "I hoped not, although the boys explained that you couldn't safely answer, the way you took off made me wonder...." Kagome broke off, staring at Sha's hand where it rested on her thigh. He looked, too, and then realization dawned.

"I-I can touch you?" he whispered with a sense of shock.

Kagome immediately pulled open her top and inspected her bare skin. "I'm still shimmering," she said, inadvertently flashing him.

"But not on the surface of your clothing," he excitedly pointed out. They stared at each other for a long moment before Sha grabbed the quilt and pulled it up to cover himself. "Just in case your aura reacts when it touches my _youki_." Holding out his arms, he waited. Kagome didn't hesitate; scooting closer, she kept her gaze locked on his as she cautiously pressed up against his padded chest and held her breath. Nothing life-threatening happened; her spiritual energy remained quiet as he wrapped both the blanket and his arms around her. "_Finally_," he mumbled into her hair, squeezing her breathless.

An unexpected aspect of their embrace made his head spin; the quilt trapped the enticing scent of her erotic activities, and when Kagome raised her head to smile at him, the sultry aroma sent his arousal into overdrive. His dilated pupils and his hungry expression made a shiver go down her spine, but she didn't resist when Sha slowly pushed her over backwards. Following her down while making sure the protective blanket remained securely between them, the hanyou watched carefully for any defensive reaction from either the young woman or her inherent powers, but instead he detected only nervous anticipation.

Nudging his knee between hers, Sha was pleased that there was only the slightest amount of hesitation before Kagome spread her thighs and allowed him to settle between them. His body coming to rest so intimately against hers appeared to fluster her somewhat, judging by how her eyes widened and the colour in her cheeks deepened, but the way her scent spiked told him that she found the contact highly enjoyable. "Is this okay?" he asked anyways.

"Y-yes," she mumbled, then smiled crookedly. "It was better the last time, when we were skin against skin."

"D'you mean when you propositioned me half-naked?"

She blushed harder and found his chin highly interesting, but her gaze flew back up to his when he began slowly rocking his hips, putting rhythmic pressure on a highly sensitive part of her body. It didn't take long before she responded with matching movements, her eyes half-closing and her breathing becoming short. Sha had to stop himself more than once from dipping down to kiss her; not being able to completely lose himself in the moment made him aware of other, less comfortable aspects of their encounter. _Gotta get out of these jeans before I bust the damn zipper!_

Kagome's soft moan pulled him back to the matter at hand; her grey eyes were limpid pools of desire as she focussed on his mouth while her hips rolled urgently beneath him. "Need... more...," she whispered breathily.

"So do I," he growled, pushing upright onto his knees and yanking his shirt over his head. Unbuckling his belt, Sha shoved his jeans down over his hips, putting the rampant state of his arousal on full display. Kagome admired his toned golden skin framed by his unruly silver hair; she went very still when she followed the thin line of pale downy hair from his navel to his erection. When she licked her lips, he let out a low groan. "Impressed?" he managed to crack.

She turned even rosier. "Liveliest one I've ever seen."

Jealously stabbed through his guts. "How _many_ have you seen?" he hoarsely demanded, red haloing his irises.

Kagome managed a smirk. "_Plenty_ of 'stiffs'... didn't you know that?"

"_What?_"

"Cadavers... in the dissection lab."

Sha stared at her mischievous grin until the dawning blush in his cheeks matched hers, and when she giggled nervously, he laughed with her. "You are _such_ a brat," he snorted, slowly pumping himself.

"Isn't that my line?" she asked, her provocative scent becoming more intense as she watched his hand slide up and down his length, and her fingers stole back into her pyjama bottoms.

"I hope you're not gonna crack jokes every time I try to seduce you, because it kinda kills the mood."

"Are you seducing me?"

"Giving it my best shot," Sha purred, noticing the way her eyes had become slightly unfocussed. The mental image of what Kagome was doing to herself beneath the concealing blanket made him lose the edge of control and thrust hard into his fist. "Show me... please..." he pleaded.

Kagome's hazy vision cleared, and she blushed scarlet as her movements stilled. Sha thought he might have blown it and was about to retract his request, when she slowly folded the quilt away from her body. The young woman looked adorably shy as she shrugged out of her pyjama top, leaving her naked from the hips up. "You don't have to... if you don't want to," Sha said, finally tearing his eyes away from her breasts long enough to note the way she was biting her lip.

"Um, well... you're shirtless, so it seemed kinda... er, unfair if I wasn't," she answered, obviously fighting the instinct to cover herself.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Kagome peeked at him through her lashes. "Well, you sorta look like you'd eat me alive... _eep!_"

Sha had planted both hands on either side of her shoulders and lowered himself until he lightly brushed his lips over hers, causing tiny sparks to fly. "You're damn right I'd 'eat' you," he rasped, his tone heavy with lust, "until you screamed my name and then I'd lick you everywhere else until you begged me to...." His nostrils flared as he registered her body's emphatic response to his words, and his arousal surged to reckless levels. _Fuck!_ _Gotta control myself!_

Breathing hard, he pushed himself back onto his knees, but the attractive picture Kagome made, her eyes heavy-lidded, and her mouth soft, weakened his resolve. Only the knowledge that her powers could literally burn off rather important parts of his anatomy kept him from pouncing on her right there and then. _How to do this?_

Inspiration struck; snagging a lock of his hair, Sha leaned back over Kagome and began lightly feathering the tips of the bundled strands over her skin. She let out a stuttering gasp, then lay very still as he followed the path of his makeshift 'brush' with his heated breath. Exhaling on her hip bone, he stroked his hair across the taut skin of her belly and traced patterns of desire over her torso while she shivered and moaned from his attentions. When he lingered over her breasts, teasing her nipples into hardened peaks, her nerves briefly vanished.

"Move," Kagome suddenly demanded in a trembling voice, but before he could misinterpret her words as a rejection, she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her pyjama bottoms. Sliding the pink flannel down over her hips, she not only exposed her sex to his attentions but released a heady wave of her scent. Sha didn't hesitate; he flipped the blanket out of the way and gripped a fold of the garment with his claw-tips, then dragged it down and off her long legs. Tossing it into the corner, he knelt between her thighs, his fiery gaze so intense and his body language so predatory that her bravery wilted. "Uh...."

Sha gave himself a shake, sending silver flying with the motion; when he looked at her again, the red rimming his irises had disappeared and his demeanour had relaxed. "Sorry... I got a little carried away there."

"I-I don't know what came over me," Kagome mumbled, shifting self-consciously.

A fang slipped out of his smirk. "I think I know what did." Deliberately trailing a handful of hair over her bare thighs, he held her gaze as he bent down and lightly blew on her sensitive nub. Kagome cried out, barely able to stop her hips from arching off the futon. _Ohhh, that wasn't smart, hanyou!_ He groaned as his arousal officially became uncomfortable. _Dammit! Only one way to deal with this... if she's game._

"Sha...." Her voice was a needy whimper.

Making sure he gave himself a buffer for when his _youki_ inevitably expanded, Sha stretched over her, propping himself on his forearm next to her shoulder. His hair spread across her like a gleaming veil, and when she turned her head, they were almost nose to nose. "Touch yourself for me," Sha murmured, "because otherwise I'm gonna kill myself trying to jump you."

Kagome blush darkened, but it was obvious that she was less embarrassed by this less-exposed position because she eagerly obeyed his command. His hair was tugged as she rubbed it over her nipples, and he had to stay aware of the crucial distance between their bodies as her hips rocked faster and faster beneath him in response to her clever touch. _Gotta hurry her up, or things are gonna get tricky!_ Cupping his erection to keep it out of harm's way, Sha huskily whispered what he wanted to do to her, the things he wanted her to do to him, but listening to Kagome's almost-silent moans and tiny gasps caused him to lose focus a few times, to the point of sizzling. _This is __crazy__, but I don't want to leave her hanging by pulling back now!_

His indecision kept him from moving long enough that Kagome was able to resolve the situation herself in a very satisfying manner. _She's __quiet__... gonna have to work pretty hard to make her scream._ The young woman's shyly contented smile a few moments later was as sexy as hell... and highly inspiring. Sha pumped himself vigorously until he climaxed into his hand with a deep, guttural groan, somehow retaining enough awareness to roll away from her before collapsing onto the futon.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Dammit, girl, if we keep this up I'm gonna be dead in a day or two!" When Kagome didn't answer, he opened his eyes in time to see her dabbing at several droplets of ejaculate that had escaped his grip and landed on her torso. Transfixed, he watched her curiously inspect the fluid before tentatively licking her fingertip. She caught him watching and ducked her head, but he was too far gone in an erotic image of her moist tongue licking something _else_ to do anything more than smirk.

Forcing his relaxed muscles to move, Sha sat up. "Gotta go clean up." Using his other hand, he dragged the blanket back over her and awkwardly tucked it into place. Carefully moving her hair away from her bare shoulder while desperately wishing that he could kiss her, he muttered, "Back in a minute," and pulled away before he purified his lips off.

When he came back, his skin tingling from the soap, Kagome was cuddled into her pillow and his quilt lay open beside her. Sha noticed that her kitten-adorned pyjamas were neatly folded at the foot of the futon, and the idea that she was naked under her blanket made all the blood in his body dive south again. Shaking off the dizzying rush of arousal, he knelt next to her and offered a damp washcloth.

Kagome pushed aside her quilt to accept it, and he realized that she had retrieved and donned his shirt. _Twelve more days until I can cover her in my scent... but she'll smell like she's been banging a human the next morning, dammit._ However, his wife only freshened up her hands before giving back the cloth. "Aren't you going to wipe off where I, uh, leaked?" he asked.

"Should I? I, um, thought you'd want me to leave it... you know, for scent-marking...?" she mumbled, somewhat abashed.

Sha's proud grin was blinding before he sobered. "_I'd_ love it, but are _you_ comfortable with _every_ dog-youkai in the place knowing exactly what we did just now? Especially the brats?"

She gave him a very straight look. "If they tease me, I'll sic Miss Karin on them."

He laughed. "And then she'll sic Sess on 'em... I almost hope that they _do_ say something!" Returning the cloth to the bathroom, Sha detoured into his room to change into his sleeping clothes before returning to her side. He fussed with his quilt until he had it arranged over his chest and shoulder, then beckoned. Kagome happily obeyed, snuggling up against him through the protection of two layers of padded blankets. Sha tucked her against his side, sighing deeply as the events of the day caught up with him. Yawning, he went to nuzzle her forehead, but the warning tingle had him pulling back in time. "Dammit, might have to try an 'indirect kiss'," he grumbled.

She popped upright to deliver a ferocious glare. "_As if_! You kissing Miss Karin? Over my dead body!"

"I dunno... watching two hot girls smooching would be kinda awesome," Sha mused, his amber eyes twinkling.

Kagome suddenly looked rather devious. "Tenmaru's human night is on Sunday, right?"

"_Don't _even go there, wench."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wisteria House, late Saturday morning...**_

"Rise and shine, kiddies!"

Sha flicked a silver ear as he poured Kagome another cup of tea. "You're _loud_, brat."

Tsugane crossed the room and seated himself at the _kotatsu_. Leaning over to sniff hopefully at the teapot, his ears suddenly perked straight up and his head snapped around; Kagome quailed a little from his intense stare, which quickly turned to bewilderment. Noting his uncle's lip curling into a snarl and his aunt's blush, he put two and two together fast enough to save himself from a painful cuff upside the head by quickly finding his lap highly interesting.

"Keep your nose to yourself, brat," Sha hissed while Kagome escaped into the kitchen for another tea cup.

"I honestly meant no offence, Uncle. I'm happy that you two have found a way of getting together!" Tsugane replied. "Thank you, Auntie," he added when Kagome returned, cup in hand.

As she poured, she asked, "It isn't like you to be up so early; big plans today?"

"Actually, I'm Mrs. Nishino's messenger boy. Your presence is requested in the dressing room, my lady," the younger hanyou answered with an elaborate bow.

"Dressing room?"

"Since we missed her official _Seijinshiki_ in January, Father is in effect re-staging Mother's big day this afternoon to celebrate her twentieth birthday. That means full traditional rig... you, too, Uncle."

"I've worn that fucking _haori_ more in the past three weeks than in the last hundred years," Sha grouched.

"Getting your money's worth out of it before the moths eat it," Tsugane smirked.

"Will Miss Karin's guardians be here, too?"

"They have a prior engagement." He gave Kagome an apologetic look. "Your grandfather's bound and determined to keep the Shrine open today, so the guardsmen will keep an eye on him because Lady Buyo is joining us."

Kagome fiddled with her empty rice bowl. "At least you won't have to wear your concealment spells," she said distantly. _Darn it, I'm just going to come out and say it because Miss Buyo's concerns are worth repeating!_ "Um, about the guardsmen...."

"Anybody in particular?" Sha asked sharply. "I forgot to tell you; the ones who showed up late last week had been delayed by some clever kitsune booby-traps."

"Oh! Well, er... in that case...."

Tsugane scratched his ear. "I think I know what you were going to say, Auntie. Lady Buyo talked to me about it when I was bedridden." At his uncle's impatient growl, he continued, "She had some concerns about the loyalty of our guardsmen, considering that the Shikon-no-Tama can confer almost unimaginable power on anyone who possesses it."

"It's a huge temptation," Sha agreed, instinctively inching closer to Kagome.

"An attack from within is definitely a risk, but the big thing in our favour is our inherent pack mentality. Some of our elders have been with the House of the West since Grandfather was alive, and their loyalty is stronger than any ambition."

His aunt chewed her lip. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yep... because being kicked out of the pack is tantamount to a death sentence, even in this modern era, and I seriously doubt any one of our troopers would endanger his or her entire family in case they failed." Tsugane drained his cup. "Besides, scent gives away everything, so it'd be damn hard for someone to hide their intentions for long."

Thinking it over, Kagome nodded slowly. "Thanks."

"No problem. We can't ignore stuff like this, because your safety is paramount." Clapping his hands, Tsugane jumped to his feet. "Ready to be trussed up like a prize fowl, Auntie?"

"But... didn't you say 'this afternoon'?" she asked in confusion. "It isn't even twelve o'clock yet!"

Her nephew shrugged. "Apparently 'dressing the womenfolk' is near the top of Mrs. Nishino's 'to do' list for today's festivities, followed by about half a million other things. You don't want to throw off her schedule, do you?"

"I'm not that brave. Lead the way, Nephew."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Western House, Saturday afternoon...**_

"Taking a breather, Aunt?"

Kagome turned away from the window to smile up at Tenmaru. "I'm a little tired," she admitted, "and it's cooler in here than outside."

"It's surprisingly warm out there," he agreed. "Plus, all those layers you're wearing can't be helping!"

She held her arms wide to display the ornately-embroidered royal blue _uchikake_ lined with scarlet silk to its fullest advantage. "This thing must weigh at least thirty pounds!"

"About the same as my cuirass," the hanyou observed. "Only much more attractive."

"Any luck with the scrolls?"

Tenmaru shook his head. "Nothing yet, Aunt."

"Darn." Kagome sighed, again looking out the window. The early-spring garden was flooded with pale sunlight, reflecting off highly polished wooden tables that had been moved outside to take advantage of the fine weather. Karin fluttered among her guests, resembling an exotic butterfly with rich orange-gold wings. _The sleeves of her __furisode__ will never be the same after being dragged over the grass all afternoon!_ The teen stopped to say something to Yayoi and Kagome wondered at her mother's mischievous expression as both women looked towards where Sha stood with Sesshiro. She followed the line of their glance and sighed. _So handsome... both of them, but Sha in particular. He really looks good in red. _

"Uncle is rather striking in his fire-rat, but I'll bet he's sweating like crazy in all that fur," her nephew observed. "Silk is only slightly cooler, but I'll take it!" Tenmaru brushed down the front of his formal black _haori_, picking a minute piece of lint off one of the embroidered silver crests.

"You look very nice, Nephew," Kagome said automatically, her attention elsewhere.

"Something on your mind?" he gently asked after a brief pause.

She sighed for the second time. "Can't hide anything from your nose, can I?"

He snickered. "No, unfortunately... but I wasn't referring to your unique choice of body lotion. You're concerned about something."

Gesturing at the gathering of friends and family, she said, "I can't help it; I worry about how the Jewel endangers everyone here, either directly or indirectly."

"You're allowed to take a few hours off from being the Shikon miko now and again," Tenmaru chided.

Smiling wanly, she agreed. "I know, but it still really bothers me." Glancing back out the window, Kagome hunched her shoulders as she murmured, "Sometimes... I wish the Shikon-no-Tama would disappear."

"That would definitely make things easier... Aunt? _Aunt!_" The hanyou stared in horror as the young woman staggered, emitting small choking noises as she clutched at her chest. She raised her head and he was gripped by the terror in her grey eyes just before they rolled upward. As Kagome toppled over, Tenmaru leapt forward without a second thought and caught her limp body before she hit the floor. Frantically checking for a pulse but finding none, he shattered the plate-glass window with one desperate punch. "_Father!_"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_Where am I?_ Kagome pulled the trailing _uchikake_ more closely around her as she glanced nervously at her unfamiliar surroundings. The meandering path bordered by lush banks of flowers seemed innocuous enough, but the warm breeze ruffling her hair didn't seem to affect either the blossoms or the branches of the blooming cherry trees in the background. Unsure, but unwilling to remain alone and vulnerable, she began following the path.

Her _tabi_-clad feet raised no dust and gathered no dirt as she walked. _No birds singing... and no sun, either, but it's bright_. An odd creaking sound came to her on the wind and she followed it until the path crested a low hill and she saw the most extraordinary sight.

A massive, red-lacquered wheel hung in the featureless sky, turning slowly without any visible means of propulsion. _It looks like it came from an antique dowry cart!_ Below the wheel, a collection of ramshackle wooden buildings straggled up the hill towards her. _Where there's a town, there are people... and where there are people, there's information._ Hastening down the incline, she was intrigued by the fluttering banners that gave the settlement the appearance of a festival.

However, the first person she encountered as she entered the main street set her back on her heels and left her speechless. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a pair of swords at his hip and one slung across his back, his black hair caught up in an old-fashioned top-knot, laughed heartily at something said by a petite woman wearing a red flower in her pale hair and a flashy white _haori_. Kagome mercilessly tortured the rich material of her sash as she filled her heart with his smile. _His hair's longer than I remember... and where did he get those swords?_ The woman took her leave, and the man finally met her yearning gaze.

"Hello, there!" he cheerfully hailed, his voice as deep as she remembered. Striding towards her, he stooped down to peer into her face. "Oh, dear... still wearing your wedding kimono?"

"Daddy... it's me." Kagome caught hold of his sleeve, desperately willing him to recognize her.

He pulled back, surprised, and ran his hand over his hair in a gesture so familiar that it brought tears to her eyes. "You must be mistaken, miss. I have a daughter, but she's only seven years old...."

"That was sixteen years ago," she whispered, her throat feeling oddly tight.

A strong hand cupped her chin as he carefully inspected her face. "Kagome?" he hesitantly asked.

She could only nod. "Daddy...." A moment after that she was pulled into a rib-cracking hug, her nose filling with a familiar scent made up of sweat, polishing oil and ink. Burrowing into his chest, she hugged him back for all she was worth.

"My little girl," he murmured, pulling back to smile down at her. "Not so little any more, eh?" Glancing down the busy street, where no one appeared to have noticed their reunion, he muttered, "Time flows differently here, probably to make the wait less onerous." Stroking his thumb over her cheek, he asked, "How is my Yayoi? And Sota? He must be nearly as tall as you now!"

"Taller; he's eighteen. Mom is fine, but she misses you." Twisting her fingers into the fronts of his kimono as the tears began to fall, Kagome said, "She still drinks her morning tea out of that tanuki cup... do you remember?"

"Of course!" His warm chuckle resonated through her hands and her heart. "And my honourable father?"

"Hoping that Sota will stop playing with swords and apply himself to religious studies."

This time, his guffaw boomed off the surrounding buildings. "Poor Father; some traits run too strong to be denied!" A pattern on her kimono attracted his attention, frowning lightly, he brushed his fingertip over the floral crest. "I've seen this somewhere before."

"It's my husband's family crest."

"Your husband?" He gently grasped her shoulders. "You passed away on your wedding day?"

"Oh, nothing like that!" Smiling sheepishly, Kagome tried to explain. "His family is very traditional, and we were dressed up for a...." Breaking off when she noticed his attention was focussed on something behind her, she turned to look but was halted by his hand clasping hers.

"It isn't your time yet," her father murmured. "The thread is still intact."

_Thread?_ Kagome blinked at the narrow red silk ribbon tied around her pinkie. _Where on earth did that come from?_ Bewildered, she looked to her father; his eyes were sad, but his smile genuine as he held up his hand to display a similarly-tied length of scarlet cord.

"The thread of destiny merely stretches upon death; you're only visiting today."

_Only visiting? This is the afterlife?_ "What's that thing up in the sky?" she asked, pointing.

He glanced up at the gaudy, slowly-turning wheel. "The wheel of reincarnation."

"Why haven't you ridden it?" she couldn't help asking.

His smile broadened. "I can't,because only those who are truly free of regrets can be reborn." Brushing aside Kagome's bangs, he pressed two kisses to her forehead. "These are for Sota and you." Tenderly embracing the young woman, he whispered, "And this is for your mother. Please tell her that I love her... that I miss her very much... and that I'm waiting for her so that we can ride the wheel together."

"Daddy...."

"Goodbye, Daughter." Raising his hand, he added, "Blessing upon your marriage... live long and happily."

"_Daddy!_" A sharp jerk on the red ribbon was her only warning before she was yanked out of his arms; the last thing she saw was his wistful smile before she was first blinded by pure white light and then consumed by darkness.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"She has a pulse!"

_I can breathe again?_ However, the air seemed to burn her lungs as she inhaled; Kagome coughed weakly, grimacing in pain.

"_Sis!_ Sis, can you hear me?" Sota's voice, urgent and close by.

Warm hands chaffed her wrists, patted her cheek. "Kagome, sweetie... wake up, _please!_"

Moistening her dry lips, she forced open her eyes, hazily noting her brother and mother's desperate faces filling her visual field. "Mom...? Sota...?"

"Thank the gods," Sha's voice rasped, from somewhere to her right.

_He sounds exhausted._ Turning her head, Kagome sought for her husband. "Sha?" His relieved smile was welcome, but he looked like he'd aged as he wiped his hand over his face. Sesshiro stood behind the seated hanyou, a gleaming sword in his hand. _Did he use Tenseiga on me? That means.... _"I died?"

"You apparently struck on the 'right wish', Aunt," Tenmaru said, nursing his bandaged hand.

"Then the Jewel is...?"

"A scan will confirm it, but I expect that it is indeed gone," Sesshiro said, sheathing his sword.

"Why am I still alive? There should be a hole in my heart!"

"The Tenseiga not only retrieves souls from the afterlife, but also heals the wounds that released the soul in the first place," Tsugane grimaced, his shoulder oddly angled until his father applied a quick twist to his arm. "Handy trick, eh?"

"I'll say," Kagome mumbled, then grasped her mother's hands with surprising strength. "I saw Daddy!"

"Y-your father?" Yayoi asked uncertainly.

"Yes! _This_ is from him...." Pulling herself up to sitting, Kagome hugged the older woman. "He loves you, and he's waiting for you so that you can ride the wheel of reincarnation together." As tears filled Yayoi's eyes, Kagome reached for Sota. He was expecting a hug, so the kiss on the forehead threw him for a loop. "Daddy was pleased that you're training with swords."

"You really did see him, huh?" he asked quietly. "I barely remember his face..."

Sesshiro interrupted. "There is something that we must ascertain." Dropping to one knee, he pinned Kagome with a yellow-eyed look before holding out his clawed hand. _Youki_ swirled and eddied over his palm like tinted smoke; Kagome hid her hands inside her trailing sleeves.

"I don't...."

"You _must_." Softening his tone, the taiyoukai added, "Anything that happens will not be held against you."

Sota nudged her shoulder. "I think it'll be okay, Sis."

Encouraged, Kagome slowly extended her hand, waiting for the inevitable reaction of her spiritual power. Nothing happened. Puzzled, she brushed her fingertips over his palm, watching for sparks or flames. Nothing. She let out a startled yip when Sesshiro's long fingers snapped down over hers, forcing direct contact. "W-what are you _doing_?" she demanded, aghast, but was even more befuddled when he remained unzapped.

"This is encouraging." Loosening his grip, Sesshiro released the restraints on his _jyaki_; as soon as his aura turned a threatening shade, Kagome's purification energy sprang spitting to life. "Exactly as it should be," the taiyoukai declared, ignoring the way his skin was smoking as he stood up and shook out his sleeves. "Your powers now only react to _jyaki_, not to the amount of an individual's _youki_."

"I still have some power?"

"Yes; probably enough to be useful, but not attract undue attention."

Realization dawned; Kagome quickly turned to Sha, but he was already there, reaching for her. "Thought I'd lost you," he whispered raggedly as he gathered her into his lap.

"Not this time," she murmured, tilting up her face for a lingering kiss that excited applause and cat-calls from their audience.

"I go away for a few weeks and return to find my house full of _humans_, the stink of _cat_ in my gardens, and absolutely _no one_ waiting to greet me!"

Sesshiro managed to keep his expression studiously blank as the exquisitely beautiful interloper flounced across the room towards him. "Hello, Mother. We weren't expecting you until next week."

"_Ciao_, darling; Italy was a _bore._" Air-kissing the startled taiyoukai on both cheeks, the newcomer dramatically sighed, "_Risotto_ is lovely, but it can't take the place of good steamed rice, and there were _far_ too many cats for my taste." Tossing back her long, silver hair, the female dog-youkai came to a dead stop when she spotted Karin peering out from behind Tsugane. "You again? Welcome back... oh ho!" Clucking her tongue, she waggled a hot-pink painted claw under Sesshiro's nose. "Now I know why you haven't been answering your dear mother's emails!"

Tenmaru spluttered, "Father has an _email address_?" to no one in particular.

Glancing around the dumbfounded group, the woman's piercing yellow gaze settled on Yayoi. Blinking rapidly, she looked again; Sota moved protectively in front of his mother. "Where is your husband?" she abruptly demanded.

"D-deceased," Yayoi stammered; Buyo put her arm around Mrs. Higurashi's shoulders, her unblinking pale eyes fastened on the newcomer.

Ignoring the feline's challenging stare, the dog-youkai's gaze softened. "How unfortunate. My deepest condolences." She then stalked over to Sha and Kagome and glared down at the pair. "I _do_ hope that you don't intend to make a habit out of ruining my dramatic entrances, girl!"

"Er... no, ma'am," Kagome squeaked, highly aware of both the tension in Sha's frame as well as the colourful _youki_ billowing around the woman.

"Good," her interrogator replied firmly before locking eyes with Sha; something passed between them before she murmured, "Congratulations." He inclined his head in acknowledgement and she briefly rested her slim hand on his shoulder before moving on. "Ten-Ten! Be a dear and fetch your parched grandmother something to drink? I haven't had a decent cup of green tea in _weeks_! Tsu-Tsu! Could you please see to my luggage, darling?" Beckoning imperiously to a wary Karin as she seated herself, she commanded, "Come here, girl... I promise that I won't bite."

"_Much_," added Tsugane on his way out the door, causing Tenmaru to giggle nervously as he escaped into the kitchen in search of Mrs. Nishino.

Karin first looked to Sesshiro for reassurance; when he nodded, she then silently appealed to Yayoi and Sota for support. The elegant youkai noticed. "Come on then... might as well get to know the whole family at once, I suppose," she said impatiently. "What's your name? This time, I mean."

"K-Karin Mifune, ma'am," the teen hesitantly replied, seating herself a polite distance away and bowing deeply.

"Dear child... you _are_ a young one, aren't you? You may call me Lady Mother," the youkai declared graciously. Giving Yayoi a considering look, she asked, "And you are...?"

"Yayoi Higurashi," she answered, bowing formally. "My son, Sota Higurashi."

As the youth bowed, yellow eyes flicked to the cat-youkai lounging just behind Yayoi. "The Shrine Guardian," Buyo purred, casually flexing her claws.

"I am the Grand Lady of the West, known as Lady Nishiki. You are a priestess, Mrs. Higurashi?"

"Er, no... but my daughter is."

Appraising Kagome rather keenly, Lady Nishiki suddenly smiled toothily. "It appears that things have been somewhat _lively_ these last few weeks while I've been away; let's start at the beginning, shall we?"

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Wisteria House, a few hours later...**_

"Is she always like that?" Kagome asked wearily, taking off her sandals in the foyer.

"Pretty much."

"She's a force of nature! I hope that she doesn't cause Miss Karin to change her mind about being with your brother."

"All the previous ones have coped," Sha replied shortly as he followed her into the main room.

"What did you think of that white truffle oil?"

"Don't give a shit one way or another, actually," he said curtly.

Kagome paused in the act of taking down her hair, startled by Sha's tone. Placing the tortoiseshell combs on the _kotatsu_, she shook out her tresses to give herself time to think before stepping up to the hanyou. "What's wrong? You've been surly all afternoon," she murmured, not feeling particularly patient but forcing herself to make the effort for his sake.

He stared at her in disbelief just before he dragged her into a desperate embrace. "What's _wrong_? You were fucking _dead_, Kagome, and there was _nothing_ I could do! I had to hope that Tenseiga was in a good mood!" he snarled.

Cuddling close in an effort to calm him down, she said contritely, "I'm sorry to have worried you."

"_Fuck_, woman... 'worried' doesn't even _begin_ to cover it!" Tangling a handful of glossy black hair, Sha pulled back Kagome's head so that he could look down into her face. "What the _hell_ would I have done without you?" he roughly asked, then kissed her hard and deep.

Kagome was flushed and trembling when he finally let her breathe, but instead of retreating, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Sha groaned against her lips; his hands snaked under the _uchikake_ and cupped her bottom, pulling her firmly against him. She shivered at his raw need, but continued kissing him until he yanked the garment from her shoulders. He easily detected her burst of nervousness, so he gentled his actions. _Don't want to scare her... not when I can finally touch her! _Sha slowed down, tenderly cradling Kagome while kissing her cheek and trying to find his control. "I really need to touch you," he admitted. "I went a little crazy when I thought I'd lost you. Tsugane had to hold me down; I think I dislocated his shoulder."

She blushed prettily. "It's overwhelming after not being able to be close for so long... the last time was nearly three weeks ago."

_At that __ryokan__ on Oshima Island._ Inspired, Sha suggested, "Why don't we have a shower?"

Her smile was tremulous, but game. "Sure." He softly kissed her, then helped her take off the _uchikake_. Carelessly dropping the rich garment on the _tatami_, he reached for the knot securing the sash holding her inner garments. "Mrs. Nishino will have a fit!" she gasped, pointing at the rumpled brocade.

"I won't tell if you won't." Tugging Kagome towards him, Sha made short work of the next two layers she wore, the colourful silks fluttering to the floor and leaving her clad in only a sheer white kimono that revealed as much as it concealed.

"Your turn?" she asked, running her finger down the asymmetrical closure of his _suikan_, her cheeks nearly the same colour as the fire-rat. In reply, he held out his arms to make it easier for her to pull the heavy material out of his _hakama_. As the jacket fell down his arms and onto the mats, Kagome plucked at his linen kimono. "Wasn't it too hot to wear fur?" she asked.

"I'd rather wear it than that formal shit." Nuzzling her forehead as she worked the damp fabric off his shoulders, Sha closed his eyes in pure enjoyment of her touch. Once the sweaty garment joined his fire-rat on the floor, Kagome stroked his heated skin, tracing the contours of his torso. When she leaned in and pressed shy kisses to his chest, he moaned softly, and she grew bolder until Sha captured her hands and kissed her knuckles before drawing her out into the hallway and towards the bathroom.

Pausing in front of the door, he said, "Go ahead and start the water; I gotta do something." When she obeyed, her curiosity obviously piqued, he dove into the bedroom, darted through the curtains and made short work of readying the futon for occupancy. In the midst of layering sheets and blankets, Sha had to stop and collect himself. _She was dead, but the gods gave her back to me. I have another chance to hold her, to cherish her... to love her. _He sobered, clenching his fists, as he reluctantly acknowledged the one thing that even Tenseiga could not defeat._ I won't think about that now. Not today._

For her part, Kagome was trying to ignore the wildly-cavorting butterflies in her stomach as she picked open the knot on her sash. _We've only known each other for a few weeks… should we __really__ be doing this?_ Shaking her head after a moment of reflection, the young woman reminded herself of a few pertinent facts. _I wanted to be intimate with Sha after only a week... and so __badly__ last night that it was ridiculous! _Glancing at her hand, she clearly saw the knotted red ribbon in her mind's eye. _Destined lovers…after what happened today, I really can't dispute the truth. We're __supposed__ to be together. _Slipping out of her kimono, Kagome neatly folded it; smoothing the finely-woven fabric, she contemplated her wedding ring._ I'm __very__ lucky that I'll never have to watch my husband__ fall in love with another woman. _Laying the garment aside, she pinned up her hair and crossed the room to the open shower stall.

By the time Sha entered the bathroom, Kagome was wearing nothing but soapy froth. Swallowing the lump in his throat caused by his melancholy thoughts, the hanyou untied his _hakama_. Tossing the vibrant garment out into the hallway as a warning to anyone who might be stupid enough to come calling, he closed the door and set about reacquainting himself with his wife.

Kagome started slightly when Sha slid his arms around her from behind and began smoothing the suds over her curves, but she soon relaxed into his embrace. Leaning back against his chest, she stretched up her arms and linked them behind his neck, giving her body an alluring arch. Sha pressed his mouth to her shoulder as he briefly cupped her breasts before stroking downwards, over her slim waist and along her sleek thighs before repeating the caress. Kagome's hips began slowly moving in a sensual rhythm, innocently provoking him until he was half out of his mind with want. _Not yet...._

Reaching for the hand sprayer, Sha tested the temperature before he played the water stream over Kagome's skin, washing away the bubbles. When she obviously enjoyed the way that the water teased her nipples into hardened peaks, he mischievously flipped over the head and directed the spray against her short curls long enough that she gasped audibly, and not completely from surprise. The hanyou continued the game until the young woman was writhing in his arms, practically knocking him over as she ground against him. _Can't take much more of this!_ Spinning her around, all it took was one glimpse of Kagome's arousal-darkened eyes and Sha had her pinned up against the wall, the discarded sprayer rocking on the tile floor at their feet.

Kissing her hungrily, Sha gave Kagome no doubt about his intentions, but left her room to escape if she chose. She didn't take the opening; instead, she clung to him, even when he nicked her lip with his fang in his haste. Tearing his mouth away from hers, Sha leaned his forehead against the cool tiles behind Kagome's shoulder and grasped after his rapidly-shredding control. "It's your choice if you want me to stop."

She inhaled sharply, knowing exactly what he was referring to. After a few moments that took a few years off his life, slim fingers brushed over his lips, stroked down his throat, traced his collarbone. "No," she murmured throatily, "please don't stop… but maybe a _little_ slower?"

"But it's _hard_," he whined. Kagome giggled and he laughed before caressing her cheek with the backs of his claws. "I need you... _want_ you...." Pressing his erection against her hip, he was gratified when she slipped her arm around his waist to keep him close. Tilting up the young woman's chin for a lingering kiss, Sha whispered, "_Adore_ you," against her lips, and she melted into his embrace.

Kagome steadily shed her inhibitions under his tender assault on her senses and emotions. Losing herself in the heat of his kiss, she daringly pulled him firmly against her. Sha groaned, replied with short, powerful thrusts that sent a rush of warmth between her legs. Growling lowly, he aggressively pushed her into the wall, then slid his hands down her flanks and around the back of her thighs, encouraging her to further widen her stance with delicate pricks of his claws. Kagome pulled back, trembling, and he huskily asked, "Do you trust me?"

"Completely," she answered, but she was biting her lip as she said it.

"I wanna taste you." It took her a moment to figure out what he meant and she was definitely shocked, but she looked him in the eye as she shifted her footing to allow him access. Sha purred his thanks in her ear before working his way down her water-slicked body, taking his time to lick and kiss her breasts until she was squirming and eager, mindlessly rubbing herself against his thigh. When he introduced his knuckle, the direct pressure on her bundle of nerves plus the attention being paid to her nipples had Kagome squealing and bucking... until he pulled away.

Waiting until her eyes flew open, confused at the interruption, Sha slowly, thoroughly licked his fingers. Kagome's lips parted, but no sound came out; smirking, he dropped to his knees and mouthed her short curls. She tensed, but slowly opened her thighs further, her blush spreading down her throat and over her chest. Sha woofed to acknowledge her compliance before hiking her leg onto his shoulder and proceeding to take full advantage of the situation.

With the first swirl of his tongue, Kagome let out a faint scream and grabbed two fistfuls of his hair. One included his ear; Sha reached up and pried loose her frantic grip, twining his fingers with hers as he pinned her hand against the wall beside her hip. The young woman barely noticed as she gasped and shook, thrusting herself against his lascivious tongue. When she rose up onto her toes, her legs shaking, Sha stepped up his delicious torment until she cried out and lost the ability to stay upright, sliding down the wall onto his lap.

Sha preened over his wife's dazed expression and pliant limbs as he gathered her close, then reached to turn off the hand sprayer. Kagome nestled into the crook of his neck, her arms loosely wrapped around his shoulders, her fingers flexing on his back. "Good?" he couldn't help asking, and received a contented hum in reply.

Several minutes passed, while the air temperature grew chillier and his knees began complaining about the hard tiles, before Kagome recovered enough to start kissing him. Slipping her tongue into his mouth, she sweetly encouraged him to play; when he firmly pulled her against his erection, she didn't freeze up, didn't try to back away. Instead, she rolled her hips in an undeniable invitation, and Sha had to forcibly stop himself from taking her on the cold, wet floor right then and there. _Not__ where I want my first time with her to be! _

"Let's go set up the bed," Kagome suggested, bumping her nose against his.

"Already done." Reluctantly disentangling themselves, they set about the necessary business of drying off, but since Kagome seemed to feel that frequent kisses were an essential part of the process, Sha didn't mind. He was surprised, though, when it was the young woman who took his hand and led him across the hall, through the hanging curtains and onto the prepared futon.

"Lie down with me," she breathily urged, and he eagerly complied, thrilled that she was taking the initiative. Once he was expectantly looking up at her, she began caressing his throat and chest, stroking down his abdomen to his thighs and back up, very much like he had done earlier to her.

Closing his eyes, enjoying her hands on his skin, Sha relaxed into blissful comfort until she tentatively touched his erection. "That's dangerous...."

Kagome snatched her hand away, but then quickly returned, making him whine deep in his throat. _Here goes…! _Dredging up her courage, she stroked him with greater intent, but the way his erection responded was disconcerting. "I'm not sure if you're going to fit," she muttered, circling his shaft with her fingers. "I mean, I _know_ you will, but...."

Sha told his protesting libido to shut up and said, "If you don't want to find out right now, just say so."

_He's giving me almost too many opportunities to change my mind… my comment about 'choices' must have really hurt him_. Kagome considered the gulf between her husband's words and the lust in his golden eyes before smiling bravely. "I _do_ want this... I just have no idea how to, um, do it."

The hanyou shook with laughter. "_No_ idea? Seriously, Dr. Nishiki? Did you miss the 'sexual reproduction' lecture?"

Her cheeks could've lit a match, and she swatted his stomach. "That's not what I meant! I mean, I understand the mechanical aspects..."

"'Mechanical aspects'? Now _that's_ sexy," he deadpanned. "Sounds like you're going to grease my gears or something."

"Rev your engine?"

"Will you ride me if you do?" Sha archly asked, and Kagome's expression became an endearing mix of desire and bashfulness.

"I-I'd like to try."

Drawing the young woman into his arms, Sha kissed her slowly and thoroughly until she was making needy sounds into his mouth and drawing up her knees to properly straddle him, her sex sliding wetly over his erection. Groaning, he bucked against her before he stopped himself. "Take control," he whispered. Sitting upright, Kagome fruitlessly tried to keep her hand from shaking as she lined him up, rubbing his velvety head through her slick folds before pressing him against her entrance. Sha had to fist his hands in the sheets to keep from grabbing her hips and driving himself inside.

"F-fast… or slow?" she mumbled, holding her position until her thighs began quivering from the strain.

"D-doesn't m-matter!" the hanyou managed to gasp out.

_Just get it over with!_ Kagome sucked in a breath and abruptly dropped her hips, wringing an oath from him and a pained grunt from her.

Light exploding behind his eyelids from the overwhelming sensations of being inside her at last, Sha couldn't help noticing his wife's rigid posture. "Y-you okay?"

"Y-yeah," she shakily replied. "Feels... weird."

"Weird?"

Huffing a faint laugh at Sha's somewhat affronted tone, Kagome explained, "Maybe 'unexpected' might be a better way to describe it?"

"What _were_ you expecting, then?"

She wriggled uncomfortably, and her husband's eyes crossed from the provocative friction. "Well… in the movies it always looks so 'omigod AMAZING!' even if the characters are supposedly virgins," Kagome muttered, frowning lightly as she tested a different angle. Glancing up when he hissed, she was surprised to see her husband gritting his fangs. "Oh! I'm _sorry_! Did I hurt you?"

"_Dammit,_ woman… _no_! Just…aw _hell_, I'm going _crazy _here," Sha snarled, giving into his need and grasping her waist, pulling down as he thrust upward.

"Er… do you want me to… um, do something?" Kagome squeaked, bracing her hands on his abdomen for balance.

"Start moving… _please_!"

Instead, she stretched out on top of him, straightening her legs as she did so, hiding her face in his chest. In response to his confused protest, Kagome muttered, "Maybe you'd better take over, because I don't have a clue." Sha had them rolled over so fast that she didn't have time to become disgruntled before she was staring up at his red-rimmed golden irises, his silver hair streaming over his shoulders like silken banners. The hanyou held her wide-eyed gaze as he pulled out and slowly thrust back in, repeating the sensuous rhythm until Kagome's lids became heavy and she crooned wordlessly, the last vestiges of discomfort vanishing in a wave of sensation.

Catching hold of her hand, Sha guided it between them, pressing Kagome's fingertips against her sensitive nub. "You know what to do," he gruffly commanded, dipping his head to capture a pert nipple between his lips while increasing the speed of his thrusts, and the young woman completely lost the ability to speak coherently.

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

"Uncle! We've brought the _Go_ board," Tenmaru sing-songed, somewhat unsteady on his feet as he and Tsugane tumbled into Wisteria House's foyer. In the answering silence, the brothers frowned comically at each other, then peered into the main room.

"Oooh, Brother… _look_!" Tsugane hiccupped, elbowing his sibling so hard that Tenmaru nearly fell into the display niche. Both hanyou inspected the discarded clothing strewn over the _tatami_ and then craned their necks to peer down the hallway. Spotting familiar scarlet-red _hakama _abandoned on the floor, they turned to look at each other with identical smirks. An unmistakeable feminine cry of pleasure, immediately followed by a masculine shout, turned the smirks into full-fledged grins.

"I _may_ be wrong, but I believe Uncle and Aunt are far too busy privately entertaining to greet visitors," Tenmaru solemnly postulated. Woozily executing a triumphant fist-bump, the brothers exited far more quietly than they had entered.

Precariously balancing his father's precious game board on the top of his head as they schlepped across the garden, Tsugane mused, "D'you think Uncle's stockroom is safe from invasion by Grandma?"

"It's about the only room in this place that is… once we pick the lock."

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

_**Epilogue**_

_Three years after the Shikon-no-Tama vanished from this world and she became a renowned medical exorcist in company with her husband, Dr. Kagome Nishiki gave birth to a tangible form of immortality by way of a golden-eyed baby daughter, followed two years after that by a silver-haired son._

_When she passed away many, many years later, at the ripe old age of ninety-four, Kagome went to the afterlife without regret, knowing that her beloved Sha would not be alone during his search for her reincarnation._

_**~finis**_

**Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж**

**A/N: The Godai Family – **borrowed from Rumiko Takahashi's Tokyo boarding-house sitcom _Maison Ikkoku _and returned traumatized but undamaged.

**Mousse the Goose** – special guest appearance courtesy of RT's _Ranma ½_.

'**The Monster' – **for those who are interested, Sha's new motorcycle is a modified and customized Suzuki _Hayabusa_, the fastest street bike in the world with an official top speed of 186 mp/h (300km/h) - to keep the EU from banning its import. However, unofficial US records have been set at speeds in excess of 233 mp/h with heavily modified machines in controlled racing situations.

**The 'right wish'** – quoted directly from both the IY manga and the final episode of the _Final Act_ anime.

**The Wheel of Reincarnation** – this, and all other descriptions of Kagome's visit to the afterlife, are lifted straight from RT's _Rin-ne_.

**Red string of fate** – appeared in the ending credits of the IY _Final Act_ anime; Kagome and Inuyasha were linked together by a short length of red thread tied around their pinkie fingers. According to Asian tradition, this indicates they were 'destined lovers regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it is unbreakable.' (source: Wikipedia)


End file.
